Romeo and Juliet, sort of
by ChellyL
Summary: R for Language, season three now, spoilers all, paring Plex
1. Bojour Paris

I don't own Smallville, I don't claim to own them, I make no money from this, don't sue me. BTW bald is sexyA conversation in this chapter takes place in French, the French is on top and the English is under it, supposedly in italics, we'll see. I'd like to give a big thank you to they provide me with all my English to French needs.  
  
----Smallville Kansas, early November, late afternoon----  
  
A small, silver, Porche 911 quickly winds its way through the sleepy country roads of Smallville's countryside. License plate reading "PMS 911." A young woman with long, honey brown hair with dark blonde and auburn highlights, wearing a pair of mirrored sunglasses is driving, smiling to herself.  
  
----The Talon----  
  
Lana is behind the counter preparing a drink for a customer. Chloe is at a corner table typing on her laptop, Pete is sitting across from her reading a comic book.  
  
Pete looks up. "I know you know Chloe."  
  
Chloe looked up puzzled. "Excuse me! You know it's not nice to start a conversation in the middle especially since I have no idea what the first part was about."  
  
"Come on Chloe, don't play dumb with me. You're stealthy investigative reporter girl. Tell me you don't know who Lex's friend is?"  
  
"Oh that." Chloe pouted a bit. "You know Pete I hate to admit it but I think we're going to have to let Lex tell us himself."  
  
"So what you're saying is you couldn't find anything." He said with a slight smirk on his face.  
  
"Not a clue." She remarked dryly, turning her attention back to her computer. "Now hush I need to finish this article."  
  
Lana walks up carrying two cups of coffee for her friends. "Hey guys. Whatcha talking about?" She sets the drinks down in front of her friends.  
  
"Hatching a plan to take over the world." Pete joked, closing his comic to talk to his friend.  
  
"Oh. I thought that maybe you two were trying to figure out who this mystery friend of Lex's is."  
  
"Well see that's the beauty of our plan. When we take over the world he'll have no choice but to tell us who his friend is."  
  
"And this is easier than waiting until tonight how?"  
  
"I dunno, it sounded cool in my head."  
  
"What sounded cool in your head?" Clark asked while sitting down.  
  
"Pete thinks that if he and Chloe take over the world they'll be able to get Lex to tell us who his mystery friend is. Mind you they plan on doing all this before this evening."  
  
Clark chuckled. "Right, because Lex routinely does what people tell him to." He smirked.  
  
"Well I have to get back behind the counter. I'll see you all later." Lana walked back to the coffee bar leaving her friends to themselves.  
  
Chloe who had been quiet for the past few minutes spoke up. "I bet it's a woman."  
  
"I thought you we're writing an article and couldn't be disturbed." Pete said with mock indignation.  
  
"Well I'm finished now."  
  
"Alright back to the real question here." Clark directed the conversation back to it's original topic. "Why do you think this friend of Lex's is a woman?"  
  
"How many male friends does Lex have that he would subject us to spending time with?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"And Lex does have that playboy rep. For not having any hair, the man has some serious game." Pete remarked.  
  
"Well he is a 20 something billionaire. Some girls will overlook a little aesthetic feature like hair when you have Luthor money. " Chloe said.  
  
"Very true on both accounts, but with the exception of the girl he brought to my ill fated party, how many of his girlfriends has he introduced us to?" Clark asked.  
  
Chloe was getting excited now. She shifted her position so she was sitting on her knees, and she was just a little higher than her male counterparts. She started talking with her hands. "That's because none of them have ever stuck around long enough. Oh my God I bet they're GETTING MARRIED!" She said the last part a little loud, drawing attention from other customers. "Sorry." She quieted down, and sat back in her chair.  
  
"If Lex was seriously thinking about marrying this woman wouldn't he have brought her here before now?" Pete asked his caffinated blonde friend. Clark looked equally perplexed.  
  
"Clearly you both suck at romance, try and follow me here boys. He obviously hasn't proposed yet. He's bringing her here this weekend you know show her around town, spend time with his friends, get acquainted with the castle." Chloe was getting excited again. "I bet she's royalty, or a model, maybe even a KENNEDY!" Chloe disturbed the café again.  
  
Pete was having fun with this conversation. "Slow down, there, Chloe. Let's say he is planning on marrying mystery model Kennedy woman. Why hasn't he talked about her before now?"  
  
"Well maybe they met when he was away on business or vacation or something. Didn't he just get back from Greece a few weeks ago?"  
  
"Yeah." Clark replied.  
  
"Maybe they met there and had a whirlwind romance and neither of them could bear to see it end. But Lex had to come back here so they've been keeping in touch with phone calls and e-mail and he's decided to bring her here to surprise her with an engagement. I bet she's beautiful, goddess like."  
  
Pete spoke up again. "You know I don't want to encourage her fantasy too much here, although it is better than anything I could think up. But Lex has seemed extra happy lately. Which is kinda odd considering Lex looks barely enthused most of the time."  
  
Clark looked like something finally connected. "That's true. I caught him smiling the other day at absolutely nothing. And when I asked him what that was about he just shrugged and said 'Oh nothing. Just a memory.' Since when does Lex Luthor reminisce?"  
  
"See I'm right."  
  
None of the table's occupants had noticed their topic of conversation walk in the door and up to the counter.  
  
"Hey Lex." Lana smiled at him. "What can I get you?"  
  
"Hi Lana. Just a large mocha cappuccino to go please." Lex turned around and leaned back against the counter, surveying the scene, while scanning the crowd for his friends. He finally spotted them in a far corner huddled around Chloe's laptop. They quickly looked away from him as he noted their presence. He turned round to talk to Lana. "Hey Lana what are Nancy Drew and the Hearty Boys up to over there?"  
  
"They're trying to figure out who your mystery friend is. Since I left them I've heard Chloe shout the words getting married and Kennedy."  
  
"Where did she get the from?" Lex smirked.  
  
"Truthfully I have no clue, but I bet it came from a really fun and scary place inside her head." She said handing him his order.  
  
Lex chuckled. "I bet it did. Thanks Lana, I'll see you later tonight." He strode silently over to the booth holding his teen friends who were now pretending to study.  
  
"Marrying a Kennedy Chloe?" Lex asked, smiling.  
  
She looked up at Lex. "It's not impossible."  
  
"No you're right, it's not. I'd love to hear the logic behind it but I have to get going. I just came over to say hi."  
  
"Will you at least give us some small clue as to who your mystery friend is?" Clark asked. "Just so we don't look like complete idiots."  
  
"Alright, Chloe you weren't entirely wrong. My friend is a woman, but we are not getting married, and she's definitely not a Kennedy." Lex couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth curl upward somewhat. He let himself get lost in another thought.  
  
"Earth to Lex." Clark waved a hand in front of Lex's face, he had been staring out into space for a few seconds.  
  
Lex quickly shook the image of him and a beautiful woman, about the same age, in formal attire sitting on a grassy hill laughing. "Sorry, I have to stop doing that. I can guarantee you that no matter how many theories you come up with or how many hours you spend looking up clues on the internet you will never figure out who she is and even if you do, nothing will prepare you for her."  
  
"So what you're saying is she's pretty amazing."  
  
"Amazing doesn't even begin to describe her. Well I've already told you too much. I'll see you all later." Lex turned and walked out the door.  
  
"Okay that was Wall of Weird, weird." Chloe said.  
  
"Definitely." Pete agreed.  
  
"I think it's nice that Lex is excited about something. Clark said.  
  
Pete and Chloe looked at him like he had grown another head. "What?"  
  
----Lex's Castle-----  
  
Lex pulls into his drive way and sees a Porche already parked there with the license plate 'PMS 911'. He smiles and shakes his head slightly before parking his car behind it.  
  
"Mr. Lex. We told Ms. Stratford to make herself at home, like you instructed, I believe she's in your billiard room." Jenny the maid greeted him at the door.  
  
"Thank you Jenny." Lex walked down one of the many corridors of his spacious home until he reached the billiard room. He could hear the sounds of music and a game of pool being played. He opened the door quietly and crept in. Paris was bent at the waist lining up a shot, she was wearing a pair of tea stained Abercrombie and Fitch jeans with strategically placed rips, that hugged her legs and hips in all the right spots with a tan off the shoulder sweater and brown leather boots, her hair was up in a looped pony tail to keep it out of her face. The lighting of the room complemented her hair and lightly sunned skin. He cocked his head slightly to the side and down to better appreciate the view. Lex had to refrain from walking up behind her, turning her to face him and taking her right on the pool table. 'You can't have sex with Paris! Why not, it's not like you haven't done that before, and she does that thing with her tongue on your. Stop it, she may be beautiful and exquisite and have a body men would kill for, but she's your oldest friend you dumb shit. Besides you dated once before and it didn't end well. Well it wouldn't have ended at all had it not been for you fathers. Shut up! You love her but you can't be in love with her.' He silently fought himself in his mind.  
  
After shooting she turned around, placed the pool cue on the ground next to her and leaned on it slightly. Her voice still had a slight hint of a British accent. "Alexander are you going to skulk in the shadows all day or are you going to come over here and say hello?"  
  
He cocked an eyebrow at her. "I was just admiring your technique. And hello Paris."  
  
"Yeah I'm sure. Did you enjoy the show?" Lex walked over to the pool table and stood next to her.  
  
"Very much thank you. PMS?"  
  
"No I'm good until next week, but thanks for asking." She smiled slyly at him.  
  
"Cute. No I was referring to the rather crude license plate adorning your Porche."  
  
"There's nothing crude about my license plate." She said with mock anger. "P-M-S, my initials, Paris Margaret Stratford. If you want to blame anyone for that, blame my parents. I always do."  
  
"I've been in therapy longer than you, who else would I blame?"  
  
"I really have no clue. Pick up a cue, and let me hand you your ass at pool."  
  
"I never let you hand me my ass at pool. I've never gone easy on you."  
  
"Yeah I know, which is what makes the victory even sweeter." She placed her cue on the table, turned and wrapped her hands around his neck, hugging him tightly and getting lost in the intoxicating scent of his cologne. "I missed you so much, people in LA suck at Verbal Judo." He wrapped his arms around her slender waist just as hard, fighting the urge to slip his hands under her sweater and explore the smooth supple skin that lay beneath. She loved the way his hands felt on her waist she had forgotten how good and safe it felt to be embraced by Lex. 'Oh, I could stay like this forever. And his hands, god the things that man can do with his hands. And he does that thing with his tongue.' She thought to herself. 'No you can't have Lex, it hurt too much to lose him last time, and he was so hurt he got into so much trouble after that, it's be selfish to do it again, just be glad you have him like this!'  
  
Lex's smooth voice broke through Paris's thoughts. "I missed you too. I'm glad I convinced you to move here." He was once again lost in the luscious scent of her hair and perfume. 'I don't want to let this woman go, ever again. You have to you idiot, she's not yours she can never be yours! Her father will stop at nothing to make sure of that. You stupid pussy, since when does someone's dad saying 'you can't date my daughter' stop you, you're Lex fucking Luthor. No this is Paris she's not some girl, she is beautiful and smart, and funny and she deserves better than what would happen if you two tried to go for it again. Besides she's only staying with you for a few months. But she's staying in Smallville. NO, stop it!'  
  
They reluctantly broke their hug and tried to get back being nonchalant. "So, how was your drive?" Lex picked up a cue and walked over to the other side of the table while Paris racked the balls.  
  
"Not bad. Kinda boring but I didn't mind. Gave me time to think."  
  
"Think huh?" He cocked an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Shut up." She retorted jokingly.  
  
"I don't know why you just didn't fly here, it would have only taken an hour and a half by air, as opposed to 22 hours by car."  
  
"Come off it Alexander. Here break." She tossed the cue ball to Lex. "I broke it up into three days, and I enjoyed myself, for the most part. Besides you enjoy flight about as much as I do."  
  
He shot. "Yeah but I would have sent one of the corporate jets to pick you up, it would have been a safe comfortable flight."  
  
She sighed loudly. "Alexander, I'm here and I'm fine. Don't you think that I could have had one of my father's jets fly me here, all I had to do was ask. I've lived most of my life being flown in corporate jets and driven around by other people. People who were hired by someone else, namely my father, to make sure I got where I needed and stayed out of trouble because my father was too bust to pay any attention to me. You remember you were there. Hell you're still there. I wanted drive here, all by myself I don't need people to do everything for me. Damn it, I like doing things by myself, I like living on my own, I like doing my own laundry, I like driving my cars. God, you sound like my father sometimes. "  
  
"Nice rant. If their job was to keep you out of trouble then they should have been fired years ago." He teased.  
  
She laughed. "Yeah I know."  
  
"But the part about me being like your dad was uncalled for."  
  
"Well it's true. Do you listen to me when I talk to you, ever?"  
  
"Yes, I listen to you. Your shot by the way."  
  
"Thanks." She takes her shot and sinks it. "If you listen to me why are we having this conversation?"  
  
He looked at her and smiled broadly. "Because, I like to annoy you when we shoot pool. Chances are you'll work yourself up into a frenzy and blow a few key shots."  
  
She misses her second shot. "Asshole." She joked dryly.  
  
They continue shooting their game of pool. "I love you too." He smirked his patented Lex Luthor smirk. "That crack about me 'still being there' was a low blow by the way."  
  
"Well it's not like it's a lie."  
  
"Ouch. You're just extra snarky today aren't you?"  
  
"I've had only myself to talk to for three days and the first thing you say to me when I get here is comment about my license plate and then say 'you should have flown'. Am I supposed to be happy about that?"  
  
"You know you wouldn't have it any other way. You've been dying for a good match of Verbal Judo admit it."  
  
"Okay so you're right about that." She smiled. "My father called me not fifteen minutes after I pulled into the driveway. So that made me extra pissy. I swear the man has built in radar."  
  
"What did dear old dad have to say? Good things I'm sure." He quipped lightly.  
  
"Oh yeah, you know my dad, he's freaking Santa Clause. I got a two hour phone lecture about my direction in life among other things, first you forgo college to pursue your acting career and then you get sick of LA and quit, you're living where?, I swear young lady, remember Lionel he can't be trusted blah blah blah. And I said dad I talked to you about this already. I've been working for the last four years straight I need some time off, you knew I was staying with Lex until my house is done and I won't be having any in depth business meetings with Lionel so you don't need to worry about that. He, surprise, surprise, claims we had no such conversation. And he still doesn't understand why I felt the need to leave Los Angeles to live in Kansas. When I, in his words, 'could live in one of my family's many luxurious houses just about anywhere in the world'. To which I said, that just means we have too many houses. And then I told him that he doesn't understand my logic because he never took the time to understand me. Then he launched into another one of his patented 'you have no respect for me or the memory of your mother' lectures, and that's about the time I tuned out. I felt like I was six years old again and I just broke one of those statues he has in his office, after he told me not to touch it."  
  
"I remember those statues. And if I remember correctly you threw a stapler at my head, missed, and blamed me for breaking one."  
  
"You colored on my picture after I told you not to and if you wouldn't have ducked it wouldn't have been a problem. Besides I got away with it. He wasn't going to yell at you he loved you, you were a boy. I on the other hand will always be his problematic daughter who should have been a boy."  
  
"Well my dad still adores you, wanna trade?"  
  
"You couldn't pay me enough to trade dads with you. At least mine stays distant and out of touch for the most part, you work with your dad."  
  
"Don't remind me." They finished their game of pool. After handing Lex her cue Paris hopped up and sat Indian style on the pool table.  
  
"So tell me about these friends of yours."  
  
Lex walked over and leaned on the table next to her. "They're in high school, sophomores."  
  
"Ah sophomore year, I have vague memories of mine. You?"  
  
"Same here. Anyway Clark, he's the one who pulled me out of my car after my accident."  
  
"You mean when you were speeding carelessly while talking on your cell phone and drove off a bridge taking said pedestrian with you, into the WATER below. Dumb ass."  
  
"Yes, and how long have you been storing that one away?"  
  
"Long enough. Worry me like that again and I'll hurt you."  
  
"Sorry, mom." Lex gave a fake apology with a slight pout. Paris breathed a chuckle. "Anyway, Clark's family owns the farm a few miles down the road from where you're going to live. They're a totally functional family unit, the exact opposite of our families. His mom, Martha, is very nice, and a great cook. His dad on the other hand." Lex paused.  
  
"His dad thinks you're the devil in Armani."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"And I'm guessing that this has more to do with Lionel than you."  
  
"You're on fire today. Where was I? Oh yeah. So Clark's great, down to earth, farm boy. A little strange though."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"I can't put my finger on it. Whenever something happens, he's right there to stop it, and nothing phases him. I swear the kid could stop a bullet." Lex shook the thought from his head. "On to Chloe Sullivan. Short, blonde, sassy reporter for the Torch, the high school paper. The Torch is her baby. Chances are she'll want an interview with you. Chloe has a mad crush on Clark, even though she'd never admit it out loud to any living soul. She and her father, Gabe, moved down here from Metropolis last year so he could be my plant manager."  
  
"Her mom?"  
  
"Left awhile ago."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Here's the fascinating part about Chloe. She has this thing called the Wall of Weird to the casual observer it's a bunch of newspaper articles. But they are all articles that mention the meteor rocks and odd happenings around here. She has this theory that everything weird the happens in Smallville is directly linked to the 1989 meteor shower."  
  
Paris looked over to Lex. "How do you feel about her theory?"  
  
He ran a hand over his smooth head. "Can't say I disagree with her."  
  
"Me either."  
  
"Yeah I'll let her explain it more in depth to you. Pete is Clark's best friend. His mom is a judge. He's a pretty cool kid. Still doesn't fully trust me though. And that leave's Lana Lang. She is the 'other woman.' Clark's loved her from a far for quite awhile. Her parents were killed in the meteor shower. She lives with her aunt Nell, works at the Talon. She has this beautiful tragedy air about her. Almost like a Disney princess. Almost every guy who meets her is instantly attracted."  
  
"Let me guess, this gives Chloe a bit of an ugly step sister complex."  
  
"You bet."  
  
"Can't wait to meet them. They actually sound like descent human beings."  
  
"They really are. A nice change from the people we were exposed to at their age."  
  
"No one should have been as old at sixteen as we were."  
  
They sat in comfortable silence for a minute, reflecting on their youth.  
  
Paris broke the silence first. "So, do I need to change before they get here?"  
  
"If you want those girls to like you and the boys to be able to stand for any part of the evening I suggest putting on a different pair of jeans. But feel free to wear those around here as much as you like."  
  
"Sure thing." She teased. "Thank you."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Everything. Telling me to move here, letting me stay here. I actually feel relaxed."  
  
"You're welcome." She kissed him quickly on the forehead as she hopped off the pool table and walked out the door.  
  
----The doorbell to Lex's mansion rings at 9:00 on the dot----  
  
Jenny the maid opens the door to see Chloe, Lana, Clark and Pete all on the stoop.  
  
"Ah come in children. Mr. Lex is waiting for you in the study."  
  
"Thanks Jenny." Clark says before filing past her into Lex's study.  
  
"Alright Lex we're here and it's 9:00." Chloe said enthusiastically as she charged into the study.  
  
"Yes, it is Chloe."  
  
"Oh come on Lex. Where is this she?" Clark joined. Lex just leaned against his desk holding a glass of scotch in his hand and smirking.  
  
"Yeah Lex, you've kept us in suspense for a week now." Lana whined.  
  
"Where is this mystery woman of yours?" Pete added.  
  
Just then a woman appeared in the doorway behind Lex's desk. Now wearing a pair of dark blue boot cut jeans a black peasant top with that hugged her breasts and torso flaring slightly at the bottom and black leather boots, her long hair was down hanging past her shoulders the ends falling in their natural loose curls. "Mystery woman Alexander. What have you been telling them?" Paris said as she walked into the room.  
  
"Oh my." Chloe couldn't say another word.  
  
"You're." Lana stopped.  
  
"I can't believe you're." Pete couldn't go on.  
  
"Standing, here, in Smallville." Even Clark was stunned.  
  
"Absolutely nothing." Lex replied smugly.  
  
"I'm sorry for Alexander's behavior. He can be such an ass sometimes." Paris swatted Lex's arm before walking over to the group.  
  
"Hi I'm."  
  
"Paris Stratford." Chloe finally regained her power of speech. "I watch your show all the time."  
  
"And we've seen all of your movies." Lana added quickly.  
  
"Yeah I have that issue of." Pete stopped suddenly when Clark jabbed him in the ribs. "Ow!" Pete whined as Clark scowled at his friend. Paris and Lex both chuckled knowing that Pete was referring to an issue of Maxim.  
  
"It's an honor to meet you Miss Stratford." Clark said excitedly as he extended his hand to her.  
  
"Please call me Paris. I'm not that much older then you guys." She shook Clarks hand. "You must be Clark Kent."  
  
"Yeah how'd you know?"  
  
"Chatty Kathy gave me the inside scoop on you all." Paris joked, nodding back toward Lex. Clark chuckled at her calling him 'Chatty Kathy.' Lex rolled his eyes and smiled.  
  
"And you are Chloe and Lana and Pete. Did I get it right."  
  
"Yep." Chloe chirped.  
  
They all walked over to the seating area and sat down. "So what brings you to Smallville?" Lana asked.  
  
"Well as you all know my show's last episode will be airing in the next few weeks."  
  
"Yeah, sorry about that." Pete found his voice again.  
  
"Don't be, two of the co-stars dying within a year of each other on top of the outrageous demands that certain others were making, it was just the right time. Anyway I was on the phone with Alexander one night a few months ago complaining about how I hated LA and wanted to move to a quiet peaceful place and he suggested I build a house in Smallville. I'm staying here until it's done. So here I am." Paris smiled and sat back in her chair.  
  
"Okay but what about the bigger question here?" Chloe spoke up. "You were accepted to Yale, Harvard, Gotham U, Metropolis U and Stanford, but decided to pursue your dream of acting, following in your mother's footsteps, you were on a hit television show for the last four years and had six blockbuster movies. You've won 2 Golden Globes, 3 Emmy's and an Oscar, all before the age of 25. You're mother a French actress, was once ranked as one of the most beautiful women in the world, your father an English businessman owns a multi-national corporation. And your grandfather is a French diplomat." After stopping to take a breath. "So how do you know Lex?"  
  
Paris looked over to where Lex was sitting across form her. "You were right about this one. She's good. Do you want to answer that or should I?"  
  
"I believe she asked you."  
  
"Alright, but feel free to fill in any gaps." Lex nodded in agreement. "You're right about everything you just said Chloe. "You're right about all those things, by the way I'd love to see where you get your information from. The simple answer is Alexander and I grew up together." All eyes turned to Lex.  
  
"That's the only reason she gets away with calling me 'Alexander.'"  
  
She nodded emphatically. "I'm special like that."  
  
"Wait you grew up with, you know, her and you never bothered to tell us." Clark was disappointed.  
  
"You've heard us talk about her show and rave about her movies like a hundred times." Lana was astounded.  
  
"You never asked." Lex answered simply. Clark just shook his head.  
  
"Like I said he's an ass, a cocky ass."  
  
"And you're a stuck up Brit."  
  
"Um, I'm a French Brit, thank you very much."  
  
"You're not really helping your cause here."  
  
"You didn't mind when we were dating." They stopped their banter when Pete started choking on his water.  
  
Cough CoughCoughAfter he finished. "You two. Dated?"  
  
"Don't look so shocked Pete." Lex answered.  
  
"I didn't mean, just, I, she's." Pete stuttered.  
  
"Oh I can help you with that Pete." She turned to look at Lex. "He means because I am smart, funny, literate, successful, I don't dress like a living Barbie Doll, I'm not a gold digging bitch who has dated half the available billionaires from coast to coast, basically not your normal run of the mill Lex Luthor girlfriend." Chloe and Lana were stifling giggles on the couch.  
  
"Thank you Paris for that ever needed dig at my personal life. Don't forget your humble nature."  
  
"No problem and thank you for reminding me, it gets lost among my many other fine qualities." Lex seceded with a shake of his head.  
  
"I do believe this round of Verbal Judo has been won by our visiting contender." Chloe announced.  
  
"Alexander you've been teaching them."  
  
"A little bit."  
  
Just then one of the servants walked into the room and whispered something into Paris's ear.  
  
Her eyes went wide and she looked a bit shocked. "Excuse me." She bolted to her feet.  
  
Five pairs of eyes looked at her questioningly. "What's wrong?" Lex asked.  
  
"I'm not sure, maybe nothing, I don't know. Just keep talking I'll be back." The servant followed her out of the room and directed her to a private room down the hall.  
  
"You can take it in here miss."  
  
"Thank you." Paris's voice was unsure and her hands were shaking a little. She sat down in one of the plush chairs next to the telephone. She took a deep breath and counted to ten before pushing the blinking green button. "Bonjour le Grand-père. Etes-vous bon?"  
  
"Hello Grandfather. Are you okay?"  
  
"Oui cher. Je'l'amende de m. Pourquoi demandez-vous?"  
  
"Yes dear. I'm fine. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Parce qu'il'le s quatre dans le matin en france et la dernière fois j'ai reçu un appel de vous ce tardif vous aviez seulement avait un assaut de coeur. J'ai pensé vous étiez au Japon. Comment votre voyage était-il?"  
  
"Because it's four in the morning in France and the last time I got a call from you this late you had just had a heart attack. I thought you were in Japan. How was your trip?"  
  
He was chuckling on the other end.  
  
"Il'le s pas drôle, vous m'avez effrayé la moitié au mort."  
  
"It's not funny, you scared me half to death."  
  
"Je'm désolé mon cher enfant. Vous êtes doux, mais vous devriez't se soucie de ma santé, je'l'amende de m. Mon voyage était le prospère."  
  
"I'm sorry my dear child. You are sweet, but you shouldn't worry about my health, I'm fine. My trip was successful."  
  
"Bien je vous se soucie de. Rien vous dites pouvez arrêter cela. Je vous aime le grand-père."  
  
"Well I do worry about you. Nothing you say can stop that. I love you grandfather."  
  
"Je sais mon cher. Je vous aime aussi. Vous're mon préféré grandiose enfant vous sait."  
  
"I know my dear. I love you too. You're my favorite grand child you know."  
  
She smiled broadly and laughed. "Grandpere je'm votre seul petit-enfant."  
  
"Grandfather I'm your only grandchild."  
  
"Approuver si vous gagnez par défaut. Est-cela une mauvaise chose?" ?  
  
"Okay so you win by default. Is that a bad thing?"  
  
"Je devine le pas."  
  
"I guess not."  
  
"Bien alors. Soutenir à la raison que j'ai appelé. J'ai reçu de l'avion et je me suis rendu compte que j'avais't a parlé à mon Paris aujourd'hui. Comment votre voyage de pays de croix était-il?" ?  
  
"Alright then. Back to the reason I called. I got off the plane and I realized that I hadn't talked to my Paris today. How was your cross country trip?"  
  
"Pas mauvais une fois je sorti des montagnes et sur la terre plate c'étais des champs de maïs pour quant à comme l'oeil peut voir. Pour qu'a crevé d'ennui, mais ordinaire pour qu'était un plus."  
  
"Not bad once I got out of the mountains and on flat land it was cornfields for as for as the eye can see. So that got boring, but uneventful so that was a plus."  
  
He chuckled. "Hmmm de champs de maïs. Et vous pensez que vous serez plus heureux dans les champs de maïs que LA?"  
  
"Cornfields hmmm. And you think that you will be happier in the cornfields than LA?"  
  
Paris answered with mock anger. "Et seulement ce que fait que signifie?"  
  
"And just what does that mean?"  
  
"Il signifie que je vous sais Paris. Vous avez grandi en haut dans New York, Londres et Paris. Vous aimez la ville. Vous prospérez sur la bousculade et la confusion. Vous avez besoin du bruit et du gens."  
  
"It means that I know you Paris. You grew up in New York, London and Paris. You love the city. You thrive on the hustle and bustle. You need noise and people."  
  
"Ouais, mais cela reçoit si mondain et la routine. Et le paparazzi est de contrôle. En plus vous'oubliant de nouveau que j'ai tendance à créer des ennuis dans la ville. Et le pays relâche tout à fait de ce que je l'entend."  
  
"Yeah, but that gets so mundane and routine. And the paparazzi is out of control. Besides you're forgetting that I have a tendency to get into trouble in the city. And the country is quite relaxing from what I hear."  
  
"Oui c'est le " He decided to agitate her a little. "vous savez si vous avez voulu relâcher dans le paysage j'ai une plutôt grande maison dans la maison de France que vous êtes bienvenu à. Et j'ai pensé vous aviez géré pour rester d'ennui pour tout à fait un instant le maintenant."  
  
"Yes it is. You know if you wanted to relax in the countryside I have a rather large home in the house of France that you are welcome to. And I thought you had managed to stay out of trouble for quite awhile now."  
  
"Oui je suis tout à fait familier avec cette maison. Et c'est beau, mais mon spectacle a terminé seulement et le déménagement quatre états sont loin assez durs sans parler de déplaçant un continent loin. En plus je veux pouvoir regarder la maison et dit, 'cela'la mine de s et je peux faire quoi que je veux avec cela' et personne peut recevoir pissed à moi pour l'il.' "  
  
"Yes I am quite familiar with that house. And it is beautiful, but my show just ended and moving four states away is hard enough let alone moving a continent away. Besides I want to be able to look at the house and say, 'that's mine and I can do whatever I want with it' and no one can get pissed at me for it."  
  
"Je sais cher. Vous savez que je suis fier de l'indépendante jeune femme vous devient."  
  
"I know dear. You know I am proud of the independent young woman you have become."  
  
"Merci le grand-père."  
  
"Thank you grandfather."  
  
"Maintenant laisser'le s reçoit à la vraie raison que vous s'êtes déplacé hors le là-bas."  
  
"Now let's get to the real reason you moved out there."  
  
"Que? Je viens de dire vous. Je've a été sur un spectacle pour le passé quatre années et a relâché six films et j'ai deux attente être relâchée. Je j'ai envie de've a vieilli vingt années dans le dernier quatre. Je'm a fatigué et je le refuge't la neige vue dans une année et un demi."  
  
"What? I just told you. I've been on a show for the past four years and released six movies and I have two waiting to be released. I feel like I've aged twenty years in the last four. I'm tired and I haven't seen snow in a year and a half."  
  
He was enjoying this argument. "Ceux-là sont toutes bonnes raisons cher mais a laiss'le s reçoit au VRAI raison."  
  
"Those are all good reasons dear but let's get to the REAL reason."  
  
"Je mets't reçoit ce que vous le moyen."  
  
"I don't get what you mean."  
  
"Paris cher qui vous a demandé se déplacer là-bas?"  
  
"Paris dear who asked you to move there?"  
  
"Non, nous ne jouons pas ce jeu visqueux. Alexander et je suis des amis. Nous've a été des amis puisque nous étions petits. Je vieux lui je pensais du déménagement et il a suggéré que je me déplace ici il'le s tout je voulu."  
  
"No, we are not playing that viscous game. Alexander and I are friends. We've been friends since we were little. I told him I was thinking about moving and he suggested I move here it's everything I wanted."  
  
"Umhm. Garder dire vous qui le cher."  
  
"Umhm. Keep telling yourself that dear."  
  
"Seulement que signifie-t-qui?" ?  
  
"Just what does that mean?"  
  
"Il signifie que vous vous déplaceriez aux fins de la terre pour Alexander et il ferait pareil pour vous. S'il vous avait demandé de vous déplacer à Zaïre vous a."  
  
"It means that you would move to the ends of the earth for Alexander and he would do the same for you. If he had asked you to move to Zaire you would have."  
  
She replied half joking. "Non je ferais't a. Ils ont le malaria."  
  
"No I wouldn't have. They have malaria."  
  
"Vous savez que je signifie. Je sais quand vos pères ont fait vous terminez votre relation les sentiments vous deux avaient pour chaque autre étaient toujours là-bas. Et puisque vous deux refuge't a été a permis d'agir sur eux pour tout à fait un instant maintenant ils ont seulement a été le glouglou au dessous de la surface. Vous êtes déplacé pareille la petite ville comme lui et vous restez à sa maison. Ces sentiments sont un aller venir dépêcher au surface."  
  
"You know what I mean. I know when your fathers made you end your relationship the feelings you two had for each other were still there. And since you two haven't been allowed to act on them for quite awhile now they have just been bubbling below the surface. You moved to the same small town as him and you are staying at his house. Those feelings are a going to come rushing to the surface."  
  
"Uhhuh. Bien il'le s tardif et vous'parlant de nouveau le discours fou. Se couche. J'aime le vous."  
  
"Uhhuh. Well it's late and you're talking crazy talk. Go to bed. I love you."  
  
"Je vous aime Paris. Et mettre't a peur d'agir sur votre sentiments."  
  
"I love you Paris. And don't be afraid to act on your feelings."  
  
"Vous venez de tete le papa'l'explose."  
  
"You just want to see dad's head explode."  
  
He chuckled. "Bon Paris de nuit. Et dire Alexander je dis le bonjour."  
  
"Good night Paris. And tell Alexander I say hello."  
  
"Je ferai. Le bon Grand-père." de nuit  
  
"I will. Good night Grandfather." She set the phone down in it's cradle and chuckled.  
  
When Paris walked out of the room she saw the servant who had led her there on the first place.  
  
"They have moved to the recreation room Miss."  
  
"Thank you." She nodded and walked toward the rec room she had talked to Lex in before. She could hear arguing from outside the door.  
  
Clark's voice came through the door. "Isinglass is not a word. You can make like five words out of it but not one run on like that." Paris stood in the doorway silent and unnoticed, enjoying the scene before her.  
  
"Yes it is." Lex argued.  
  
"Use it in a sentence." Chloe, Clark's scrabble partner argued.  
  
"The isinglass was rather delectable." Lex stated confidently.  
  
"You're saying it's a food. Cheater." Chloe accused.  
  
"You know Lex I'm your partner and even I don't buy that." Lana said playfully from her seat next to Lex.  
  
Paris decided it was time to rescue Lex from his teenage accusers. "Actually it's a clear gelitan made from the bladder of fish." She said matter of factly as she walked up to her seat next to Pete.  
  
Chloe scrunched up her face in disgust. "Are you serious. That sounds disgusting."  
  
"I couldn't make something that nasty up." She said sitting down.  
  
"It's not that bad." Lex said, looking for an argument.  
  
"You're not the one who wound up close and personal with the toilet that night."  
  
Lex laughed at the memory. "Yep. You turned seven shades of green."  
  
"Yeah because I had food poisoning. And who gave me said tainted fish jello?" She said laughing at the memory herself.  
  
"I didn't mean to get you sick."  
  
"I was in the hospital for a week after that." A look of confusion crossed her face.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"It just seems weird that you and I ate the same thing but I ended up in the hospital and you didn't."  
  
Lex remembered that night, it was five years after the meteor incident. Five years after he lost his hair and stopped being sick. He had to think quickly. "No, I handed you my plate for a second and you ate it. I never ate any."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Lex wanted to change the subject. "So I take it everything is okay?"  
  
"Yeah that was just grand-pere. He says hi by the way."  
  
"How is Gustave?" Lex understood why she was concerned before. he was happy to hear it was her grandfather and he was okay.  
  
"He's fine." Paris shook her head and chuckled to herself.  
  
"What's so funny?" Clark asked from across the table.  
  
"It's nothing, you have to know my grandfather. It's too hard to explain. Whose turn is it?" She asked hoping for a subject change.  
  
"Ours actually and we're getting beat bad." Pete who was sitting next to her said.  
  
"Never fear, Paris is here."  
  
"Watch out for her." Lex warned Clark and Chloe. "She DOES cheat." Lex accused.  
  
"Do not."  
  
"Yes you do. You use French words. That's not allowed." He started a playful argument with her.  
  
"If we were playing in France it would be. Besides it's my first language what do you expect?"  
  
"Well we're playing in America so I expect you to use English."  
  
"Now when you say 'English' do you mean."  
  
Lex cut her off. "No you can not use any of your British nonsense, I mean American English."  
  
"What about words that mean one thing in America and another in England?" She countered him.  
  
"Those are fine."  
  
"Fine. Will you quit bitching so we can play?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
Pete and Paris deliberated for a minute before Pete laid down their word.  
  
"Epilogue. Last time you laid down 'graze' and now you have epilogue?" Chloe couldn't believe it.  
  
"That's because I was flying solo last time and I had crappy letters."  
  
"Let me see. We have 'epilogue' worth 25, plus the triple word score, and we also have 'gold' and 'it' worth four, and we used all our letter's for an extra thirty five points. Look at that. We're beating Alexander the great." Paris gloated playfully. Pete snickered from his seat next to her.  
  
"You talk trash while playing scrabble." Pete turned to Clark and Chloe. "I love my partner." The table burst into laughter.  
  
"Yeah well twenty..." Paris raised her eyebrow in warning at Lex before he could finish the number. "Twenty four years of her gloating and prancing can rake the nerves a bit but you get used to it ."  
  
"If you didn't like it you wouldn't keep me around."  
  
"No I've just been conditioned to deal with the insufferable and obnoxious it's what comes form living with Lionel." 'Check and mate.' Lex thought to himself, smirking the Luthor smirk.  
  
Paris jaw dropped and she pointed an accusing finger at Lex, trying to utter anything. Paris and Lex were both enjoying their argument, everyone else was being thoroughly entertained. "I'll get you for that one."  
  
"I do believe that round was won by our home town champ, Lex Luthor." Chloe announced causing laughter from around the table.  
  
"You cheated. You compared me to Lionel."  
  
"You compared me to your father earlier."  
  
"Yeah but I was joking, and in a bad mood and we were playing pool. And you, well that was just ugly and mean." Paris was being dramatic.  
  
"I still win."  
  
"Fine. But no more cheap shots mister or I get to make Mr. Clean jokes."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"So Paris you said you and Lex grew up together." Chloe's curiosity was getting the best of her. "I bet you have some great stories."  
  
"You wouldn't believe the things I know. You know Chloe I bet the Torch readers would love a few good Lex Luthor stories, they can be pretty entertaining."  
  
"No!" Lex said with mock sternness.  
  
"Why not? Don't want people to know about 'Mr. Quacks'?" Paris rested her elbow on the table and her chin on the palm of her hand smiled at him.  
  
Lex's jaw dropped. "Duck killer."  
  
"Barbie axe murdered."  
  
"What are you two talking about." Lana was confused.  
  
"When I was young I had a stuffed duck named Mr. Quackers." Lex began his story. "And Paris. Well Paris did the unspeakable. We were sailing in Italy and Paris threw him overboard. I'm going to get you for this." Lex was blushing.  
  
"Anyway. Alexander had Mr. Quackers forever and he went everywhere. I was never allowed to touch Mr. Quackers, he was a sacred cow so to speak. Nevertheless, we were sailing in Italy and he was being a particular brand of mean to me."  
  
"You hit my sunburn."  
  
"I didn't mean to. God what were we like eight? So any way we had been getting on each others nerves a little and he was sunburnt and I ACCIDENTLY ran into him and he was mad at me so he took my favorite Bob Mackie Barbie doll and cut her hair off and ripped her dress. So when the chance presented itself I kidnapped the duck and threw his ass overboard."  
  
"So Lex what did you do in retaliation?" Lana asked.  
  
"I tried to throw her overboard. But my dad stopped me. So the next day I got a hold of her Grover doll and tied a rather large string around his neck."  
  
"You didn't." Clark's mouth was agape, almost laughing.  
  
"He did." Paris was smiling.  
  
Lex nodded in the affirmative. "I went over to where she was, making sure she didn't see the rope and 'threw' Grover over the side of the boat. She screamed in horror. By this time our moms were coming over to see what the hell we were doing. My mom was in the middle of yelling at me and she was crying hysterically and I pulled him back on board. And she kicked me in my poor sun burnt shin."  
  
"I bought you a new duck as soon as I got home."  
  
"Well he wasn't the same."  
  
They went on talking and trying to finish scrabble until 11:30.  
  
Clark looked at his watch. "Man it's late. I've got to do chores in the morning."  
  
"Yeah I have to open the Talon tomorrow." Lana agreed.  
  
"I really don't have anything to do." Pete wanted to stay.  
  
"Yeah well I'm your ride and it's time to go." Chloe reminded him.  
  
They group made their way to Lex's drive way where their cars were waiting. After bidding good night's and thank you's the four teenagers were off.  
  
Lex made it half way to his front door when he realized Paris wasn't with him. He turned to see her standing in the driveway her arms crossed over her chest, staring up at the sky. 'She looks like an angel.' He thought to himself. He walked back over to where she was standing and stood beside her, looking up also.  
  
"What exactly are you looking at."  
  
"All of it. The sky is so.big.out here. I can actually see the stars. Can't do this in LA"  
  
"I know, it's the second most beautiful sight in the world."  
  
She stopped looking at the heavens and looked at him. "What's the first?"  
  
He looked at her seriously. "You."  
  
She was thankful for the darkness so he couldn't see her blush, or the tears of happiness in her eyes. "Thank you."  
  
"It's the truth. No woman in the world can compare to you Paris."  
  
"You shouldn't say things like that. It just makes everything harder."  
  
"I know. Come on it's cold out here and I don't want to deal with a sick Paris." He put his hand on the small of her back and lead her to the house, where they went to their separate bedrooms and slept soundly. 


	2. Oompa Loompa Doopity Do

I'm a little bummed from the lack of reviews but that's okay, it was a very long chapter and nothing really got accomplished. And secondly chapter one has a small continuity error, Lex was like 22 in season two and I said they were friends for 24 years, well they're 22 so sorry for any confusion. This chapter doesn't really sinc up with anything and it doesn't get anything accomplished, it just explains the Lex Paris back story a bit more. (  
  
----Paris's bathroom----  
  
Lex lingered in the doorway of Paris's bathroom watching her dry here hair. Her head was flipped to the front she was bent forward looking at the ground and she was brushing her long, thick hair straight while she dried it. She was wearing red cotton pajama pants and a black sport bra. Lex knew he was lucky she didn't see him standing there or she'd probably throttle him into the next county, but it was worth it she was too funny to watch.  
  
Paris's hair brush pulled a knot, she tugged and yelped and threw her brush at the wall, almost hitting Lex in the head. She grabbed a round bristled brush off the vanity next to her without looking. After a few minutes Paris turned the hair dryer off and slammed it on the vanity next to her, still not looking up. "Stupid, fucking, piece of shit. Bloody Hell!" She yelled at the hairbrush that was now in two pieces.  
  
"Problems?" Lex asked sarcastically.  
  
Paris jumped and straightened. "If you didn't, you know, own this house I could so have you arrested right now."  
  
Lex cocked an eyebrow at her before bending down to pick up her first hair brush. "Okay probably not. But I have a valid point. It's not nice to sneak up on people like that, I could have been naked."  
  
He handed her, her brush. "I could only be so lucky. I see you got rid of the naval ring, but kept the Tattoo." He was referring to a tattoo of a white flower with a red center on her left shoulder blade.  
  
She smiled slightly. "Got to old for the ring. But the tattoo is here to stay."  
  
"What kind of flower is that again?"  
  
"A Vincia. We were in Greece and we walked past a flower shop with the most wonderful aroma coming out. Mum insisted on going inside to ask what flowers could smell so beautiful. They were Vancias. She must have bought every one in the entire store. Mum said they reminded her of me because their also called 'little bright eyes', she used to say I had the brightest eyes of any child she'd ever seen. But she was a little bias." She smiled and softened at a memory. "After that, no matter what city we were in mom always made sure there was a vase of these in the house." She smiled sadly and turned to the mirror and began attacking a knot. "Ah! This is so not fair!" Lex was back to leaning up against the wall behind her, watching her dilemma. She could see him in the mirror. "Just what are you laughing at hair club for men?"  
  
"Why so defensive?" He asked slyly.  
  
She stared back at him in the mirror and jokingly bantered with him. "You are male and bald, you wouldn't understand. Go off with you." She jokingly waved a dismissive hand at him.  
  
"Please explain it to me then." He said mockingly.  
  
"This is a hairbrush." She held the brush up in the mirror. "And this is my semi dry hair." She grabbed her hair and waved it at him to illustrate. "When I am drying my unmanageable mass of curls and waves my hairbrush enjoys getting snagged in the knots, that I thought I had banished, and ripping the hair straight of my head. At which time I in a fit of rage and pain whip it across the room and grab the now dearly deceased round brush." She held up the two halves that once made up a brush. "But said brush has broken in half. Stupid piece of crap." She threw the round brush in the garbage can next to the sink.  
  
"Point taken. Personally I like it when you let your hair dry naturally, it has a nice curl to it."  
  
"Thanks, but I'm half way done drying it and it'll look all cockeyed if I don't finish. I swear one day I'm going to revert back to my teenage rebellion and cut it short again."  
  
"Alright, fine, I was just going to ask you if you wanted to go into town with me this afternoon but if you'd rather lament the fact that you have hair then be my guest." He jested.  
  
She turned serious. "Oh, town. I dunno. It's, eh." She turned around and hopped up on the vanity sitting Indian style. She began fiddling with her hair brush, making sure not to look at Lex.  
  
"What's wrong? You are the same person who was kicked out of three prep schools in the continental United States in a year and a half, the girl who took on the entire board of Excelsior Prep and told off Malcolm Stratford."  
  
"Yeah so?."  
  
"I have learned many things in my life some easy some hard. One of the things I learned the hard was isParis Stratford does not back down from anything. So what exactly are you unsure of?"  
  
"Nothing, everything, I don't know." She put her brush down, closed her eyes, put her elbows on her knees and started massaging her temples. "I don't think I thought this all the way through." She whispered.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"When I decided to leave LA and move here I just though, 'hey I get out of the smog and the façade that is LA and I get some actual rest. Chill with Luthor, whatever.' And then I met those kids and they were in awe of me. And they were so nice and normal and down to earth. I enjoyed talking to them and spending time with them." She stopped.  
  
"And?"  
  
"And I'll never have that, not really. People all over the globe know who I am, they know my name, my face, everything and anything they can get their hands on. This, me, sitting here trying to be 'normal' it's such a fucking facade. They were just four very nice, very down to earth kids, there are 40,000 other people in this town. The minute I step out of the car and people see me this whole town is going to turn on it's head and I don't want that. I never know if people like me for who I am or what I can do for them." She stopped talking and looked around the room.  
  
"You sound a little scattered. I can assure you though that if you stick around here long enough that you'll be absorbed into this community as if you have lived here your entire life, the fact that you're a celebrity and your father's a billionaire will be all but forgotten. The kids you met last night are pretty indicative of the kind of people that inhabit Smallville. They don't care if you have ten dollars or ten billion they treat everyone the same way." She looked up smiled a little at his reassurance. "And what exactly makes you think that you can turn this town on it's head? They could have given half a damn when I cam here and I came in with a bang, or a crash as it were." He joked with her.  
  
"Because I'm hotter than you and you're a crappy driver." She smiled.  
  
"Hey now, I'm not the one who rode my horse into a tree."  
  
"I was twelve and I sneezed. You were not, and driving a car at a very high rate of speed."  
  
"Alright. Get dressed we're leaving in half an hour." He walked out.  
  
----Lex's office 12:30----  
  
An angered Lionel was standing in front of Lex's desk. Lex was sitting in his blue resin chair, hands steepled in front of his mouth.  
  
"Lex just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Lionel was all but enraged.  
  
"Business dad." Lex replied dryly.  
  
"I told you sell those shares a month ago! Did you think I wouldn't find out about this!"  
  
"I thought you sent me to Smallville to learn how to be my own businessman." Lex stood up and walked up to his father.  
  
"How am I expected to bring you back to Metropolis if I can't trust you to do things the right way."  
  
"Since when is the Lionel Luthor way the right way? Usually that's the fuck everyone else over so I can make tons of money way."  
  
"I've never heard you complain about it before."  
  
"That's because you don't listen to me!" Lex spat the words venomously at Lionel.  
  
"Listen to me Lex my boy, cut the dramatic shit. Let's leave that to the professionals. If you don't dump those shares Monday I can guarantee you that you will not return to Metropolis while I'm alive."  
  
In a cool, patronizing voice Lex said. "You're breaking my heart. Don't tempt me to buy more stock."  
  
In his anger Lionel back handed Lex across the left cheek. Making Lex's head snap violently to the right.  
  
Just then Paris opened the door, missing the slap by a second, neither man had noticed her yet. Only seeing Lionel's back and Lex glaring angrily at him she decided to break the stare down. "Lex you didn't tell me you were fiends with Kenny G." She said with mock shock in her voice.  
  
Lionel turned to face her, smiling. "Paris darling. You look wonderful. And I see your sense of humor hasn't changed a bit either." He walked up to her and gave her a hug. She spied Lex over Lionel's shoulder, she noticed a small spot of blood on his cheek where Lionel's ring had hit and a hand print. She gave him a questioning look but Lex waved her off, and wiped the blood away. Lionel let her go. "My Paris you look more like your mother every day."  
  
"Thank you Lionel. You are looking rather well yourself. Alexander didn't tell me you would be coming by today."  
  
"I wasn't planning on it, just an impromptu business meeting. You are finding the accommodations here pleasant I hope."  
  
"Very much thank you. Alexander is a wonderful host."  
  
"Yes. Well my son does have many good qualities." Lionel turned his head and smirked at Lex. He turned back to Paris. "I drove past the construction site on the way here, your house is coming along very well. And quite large I might add, are you sure you were trading in the extravagant life for the simple life?"  
  
"Don't worry, I'm saving my hypocrisy for other things, it's big but not too big. Unfortunately I haven't seen it yet, by the time I arrived yesterday they had already stopped working for the day. I was hoping we could stop by there on our way to town today."  
  
"Ah, I see you two have plans. Well I must be off. Good day Paris, Lex."  
  
"Same to you Lionel."  
  
Lionel walked past Paris and toward the heavy oak doors of Lex's office. Before leaving he turned around. "Oh Lex remember what we talked about."  
  
"Sure thing dad." Lex said flatly. Paris just looked at him curiously.  
  
"Fine then." Lionel walked out the door.  
  
"Well I see Lionel's bucking for father of the year." Paris said grabbing Lex's hand and dragging him over to the leather sofa. "Sit."  
  
"Paris I'm fine."  
  
"Sit." She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him onto the couch. Lex put his head on the back rest and closed his eyes. She walked over to the bar and grabbed a wash cloth, putting ice in it and some water from one of the bottles of TyNat.  
  
"He's such a bastard."  
  
"No shit Sherlock. Now for the fifty bonus points what was this one about?" She asked walking back over to the couch sitting next to him.  
  
"Stocks."  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
"Would I lie about something that ridiculous?"  
  
Paris sat so she was sitting next to him, the right side of her body was against the back of the couch and her right leg was tucked under her and behind her left. She changed was holding the ice pack with her right hand.  
  
"No. What a dick. Come here."  
  
Lex lifted his head. Paris cupped his chin in her left hand and placed the improvised ice pack on his cheek.  
  
"SSSS." He hissed at the contact, closing his eyes in pain.  
  
"Sorry. You're twenty two and he still." Paris stopped mid sentence. "What an asshole."  
  
"My sentiments exactly." He tried to take the wash cloth but she gently took his hand and put it back on the couch next to him. "No, you're letting me stay here the least I can do is tend to your wounds when need be."  
  
"Fine. I give up. I learned long ago not to fight you on stuff like this." He smiled at her.  
  
Paris smiled back. "Good."  
  
Lex moved so he was laying face up with his head in her lap while she held the ice pack to his face with her left and she slowly, soothingly ran her short, French manicured acrylic nails along his smooth scalp. He made himself comfortable in the calming feeling of his friend's touch.  
  
"So why exactly were you two arguing about stocks?"  
  
"Well the company hasn't been performing very well and he's afraid we'll lose too much money."  
  
"Are they in danger of going under?"  
  
"Not entirely. I think that if we keep our shares, maybe even pick up a few more they'll be back to peak in less than six months."  
  
"How much do you have invested?"  
  
"Thirty million."  
  
"Since when is thirty million a lot for Lionel Luthor? Let me guess, if you pull your shares the company goes under and Lionel gets it for a song and a dance. You're trying to save jobs while Lionel is trying to take over a company."  
  
"You got it."  
  
"What company is it?"  
  
"It's a small fiber optics company in Germany."  
  
"Stein Fiber Optics?"  
  
"The very same. How do you know?"  
  
"Dad has been in negotiations with them for two months."  
  
"The plot thickens."  
  
"You mean you didn't know?"  
  
"No."  
  
"That's odd. Oh well, let them fight over it. Sit up let me see."  
  
He obliged. She took the ice pack off his cheek and looked it over carefully, running the pads of her fingers over his sharp cheek bone. "Does that hurt?"  
  
"No, but it's still cold."  
  
"What if I do this?" She gently pressed on the spot where Lionel struck him.  
  
He flinched slightly. "Sorry, I'll take that as a yes. Well it stopped bleeding. You may bruise slightly." She pecked his cheek lightly before getting up and walking back to the bar to deposit the wash cloth.  
  
Lex stood up and watched her. "Has any one ever told you that you would have made a good doctor?"  
  
"Many times yes." She smiled at him. "I'm not arguing with you Alexander, so don't even try it."  
  
"I'm not doing anything." He looked at her sheepishly.  
  
"Uh huh." She answered skeptically. "We don't have to go if you don't want to."  
  
He smiled and scoffed lightly. "What and let Lionel stop me from having a good time. Never. And I'm not letting you get out of coming into town."  
  
"Alright then, let's go."  
  
----Town----  
  
Lex pulled his black Ferrari into a spot in front of the Talon. He turned off the engine and got out walking over to Paris's door and opening it for her. She stepped out wearing a pair of boot cut blue jeans, and black V- neck sweater, black chunky Dr. Martens and sunglasses. Trying to look as inconspicuous and possible. She leaned against the car as Lex closed the door.  
  
"Everything's going to be fine."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
"You're with me. No one's going to bother you or make you uncomfortable."  
  
"Okay." She took a breath and pushed off the car. Lex took her hand in his and started walking toward the Talon.  
  
"Coffee?"  
  
"I thought you'd never ask."  
  
The Talon had only a handful of customers in it, pretty normal for a Saturday afternoon in a farm town. A few teenage occupants recognized Paris but thought better of going over to her when they saw Lex at her side. Lana was behind the counter talking to Chloe who was sitting on a stool.  
  
"Hello ladies." Lex said as he walked up to the counter.  
  
"Hey, good afternoon you two." Lana smiled cheerfully as the pair approached the counter. "What can I get you?"  
  
"I'll have a large Columbian roast. What about you?"  
  
"Large caramel latte, two shots of espresso please."  
  
"Coming right up."  
  
"Two shots huh, long night." Chloe asked.  
  
"No, that's pretty normal for me. Why do you ask."  
  
"Two shot latte, dark glasses in the middle of the afternoon."  
  
"Oh these." Paris took the sunglasses off and folded them. "It's a habit from living in LA for so long. People can't see your eyes they're not really sure whether or not it's you."  
  
"Does it work?"  
  
"Hardly. But I like my sunglasses so it works for me."  
  
"I'll be taking those." Lex snatched the glasses from Paris and slipped them into the pocket of his trademark black jacket.  
  
"Hey now." Paris tried to grab for them but Lex had them safely out of her reach.  
  
"Nope. No security blanket for you."  
  
"I'm not a child."  
  
"Could have fooled me."  
  
"I'm not going to dignify that with a response." She turned back to Chloe who was watching the exchange with amusement. "So what are you working on there Chloe?"  
  
"The lunch menu for next week's Torch."  
  
"Mac and cheese with cubed ham, am I reading that right?" Paris looked less than appetized at the thought.  
  
"Yes you are. And it is a truly disgusting concoction. But they need to do something with the left over pasta and ham."  
  
"How about throwing it away or you know, not serving that?"  
  
"I've suggested both those choices to principal Kwan but he insists that it's a perfectly nutritional lunch."  
  
"I bet his wife packs his lunch."  
  
"I bet you're right."  
  
"For once in my life I am glad that I went to boarding school. At least they had decent food."  
  
"That's why I brown bag it."  
  
"Here you go, one large Columbian and one large caramel latte two shots." Lana handed them their drinks.  
  
"Thanks. I'll see you two around I'm sure." Lex thanked Lana and paid.  
  
"Bye Chloe, By Lana." Paris bid before she and Lex turned to leave.  
  
"Paris wait, can I talk to you for a minute?" Chloe asked before they were more than a few feet away.  
  
She turned around. "Sure. Alexander I'll meet you outside." Paris took a sip of her drink as she walked over to Chloe. Lana was conveniently not there.  
  
"Um I didn't feel right asking you this last night, and I still sort of don't. Tell me if you think I'm out of line and I'll forget everything."  
  
Paris cut her off. "Chloe you're rambling."  
  
"Sorry. Can I do a story on you for the Torch?"  
  
"Sure." Paris smiled at her.  
  
"Really?" Chloe brightened.  
  
"Yes really." She nodded before taking another sip.  
  
"Can we do it Tuesday?"  
  
"Tuesday it is. What time?"  
  
"How about 4:30. School will pretty much be empty by then."  
  
"Alright Tuesday 4:30."  
  
"Thank you so much."  
  
"Chloe it's no problem, really. I'm happy to do it. By Chloe."  
  
"By Paris."  
  
----Outside----  
  
Lex was standing in front of the coffee house quietly sipping his coffee while surveying the scene before him. A young couple with two children walked down the street. A teenage boy and girl holding hands. An old couple sitting on a bench. He didn't hear Paris walk up next to him.  
  
"Whatcha looking at?"  
  
"Americana at it's peak." Lex gestured with his coffee cup.  
  
"It looks nice."  
  
"It is."  
  
They walked down the streets of down town Smallville together, drinking their coffee enjoying each other's company in the peaceful atmosphere.  
  
"You know how I was laughing after I got off the phone with Grandpere yesterday?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well he has this theory about us."  
  
"Oh I do so want to hear this."  
  
"He thinks I moved here for you."  
  
"That's crazy. I only suggested you move here so you could get away from the stress of everything else."  
  
"Exactly, that's what I told him."  
  
"And what did he say to that."  
  
"You don't want to know."  
  
"Now I have to know."  
  
"After something about Zimbabwe. He basically said we're still in love and don't realize it fully because we've had to suppress it for so long."  
  
"He does, does he?"  
  
"Oh yes."  
  
"He also says that since we are living in such close proximity with all this 'suppressed love' or whatever that it is all going to come rushing to the surface and drown us or what not. So it'd probably be smart to start carrying around an umbrella and a flotation device of sorts, just in case the damn breaks and a tidal wave o' passion comes sweeping through."  
  
Lex was mid swallow and almost spit his coffee out from laughing. "What did you have to say to that?"  
  
"I told him he had a long day and it was time to go to bed."  
  
"Good plan."  
  
"Oh yeah." Both knew they could only work damage control with their fathers for so long before they inevitably stepped over an already thin line.  
  
----Across the Street----  
  
The Kents were across the street at the farming supply store.  
  
Jonathan threw a bag of feed into the back of the truck and stopped when he saw Lex across the street talking to a woman, and a respectable looking woman at that. Martha stopped next to him.  
  
"What are you looking at sweet heart?"  
  
"Lex."  
  
"Excuse me?" She asked a little shocked. "Lex Luthor?"  
  
"Yeah, he's across the street. Who's that woman he's with? She looks familiar."  
  
"I don't know. But this is Lex, she could be anyone."  
  
"Very true."  
  
Just then Clark came out of the store. "Hey what's up?"  
  
"Clark dear, do you know who that woman is with Lex?"  
  
"Oh yeah, that's Paris."  
  
"Paris Stratford?" Martha asked shocked.  
  
"The girl from that show?"  
  
"The very same. They've been friends like forever."  
  
"Lex has friends?" Jonathan joked.  
  
"Dad."  
  
"Jonathan that's not very nice. Lex has many admirable qualities."  
  
Clark was waving them over.  
  
"Clark what are you doing?" Jonathan asked.  
  
"Being polite."  
  
Lex and Paris waved back and came across the street.  
  
"Good afternoon Jonathan and Martha. Let me introduce you to someone. Jonathan, Martha this is Paris Stratford. Paris meet Jonathan and Martha Kent. You already know Clark."  
  
"Yes I do. Hello again Clark. It' very nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Kent."  
  
"Please dear, Jonathan and Martha." Martha said smiling.  
  
"Okay." Paris smiled back.  
  
"So Paris how long are you in town for?" Jonathan asked.  
  
"Actually I'm moving here. I'm building a house down the road from you apparently."  
  
"Oh so it's you who is disturbing the peace by building that mansion." Jonathan joked.  
  
"Guilty as charged."  
  
"Gosh Clark don't you tell your parents anything?" Lex joked.  
  
Clark blushed a little at the accusation. "I, uh, they were asleep when I got home last night."  
  
"Uh huh." Lex nodded his head.  
  
"Be nice." Paris warned.  
  
"I'm not doing anything."  
  
"Umhm."  
  
Clark noticed the slight purple bruise on Lex's cheek. "Lex what happened?"  
  
Lex was taken a back that anyone noticed the blemish. "Oh it's nothing just."  
  
"Billiards accident. We were playing last night after you all left. When we play pool Alexander likes to taunt me, he got a little too close and I clipped him in the cheek with my elbow."  
  
"Lex got hit by a girl." Clark mocked.  
  
"Clark." Martha admonished her son's behavior.  
  
Jonathan chuckled. "Tough girl."  
  
"Yeah she can take care of herself alright." Lex glanced sideways at her. 'If only they knew the truth. This isn't the first time she's covered someone else's behavior.' Lex thought glumly.  
  
"So, Paris what made you decide to move all the way to Smallville."  
  
"A glowing recommendation from Alexander." She smiled, perking Lex up a bit. 'That smile could end wars.' He thought to himself. "I was thinking about moving from LA and he told me this was the perfect place to live and get away from all the Hollywood hoopla."  
  
"Well he's right about that. No one will ever find you out here."  
  
"That's kind of what I'm hoping for. I just want to relax and live a normal life for awhile."  
  
Clark laughed. "Normal life, Lex what have you been telling her? Smallville, Meteor Rock Capital of the World. Life here is anything but boring."  
  
Jonathan looked at his warningly.  
  
"Alexander mentioned something to me about meteor rocks and a Wall of Weird."  
  
"Oh that's Chloe's pet project. She can explain it better than anyone."  
  
"I'll make sure to ask her when I see her Tuesday."  
  
"What are you doing Tuesday?" Lex asked.  
  
"Chloe asked me for an interview, I said yes. No big thing."  
  
"It's been very nice to meet you Paris. Lex always a pleasure. But we must be going back to the farm. Those chores aren't going to finish themselves." Jonathan said.  
  
"Yes Paris it has been nice. I can't wait until we're neighbors. I have an idea. Since my son seems to be leaving out important details lately. Why don't you two come over for dinner tomorrow night and we can get better acquainted."  
  
"That would be wonderful, thank you. Alexander did say you were a spectacular cook."  
  
Martha blushed a bit at the compliment. "Lex is very gracious."  
  
"I would not lie about something as serious as cooking Martha."  
  
"Okay. Well we must get going, Jonathan is getting antsy."  
  
"Alright. We need to get going any way if I want to see my house in the daytime any time soon."  
  
They bid their good byes and went their separate ways.  
  
----Lex's car on the way to Paris's house----  
  
"That was pretty quick thinking back there."  
  
"What was?"  
  
"That whole bit about me taunting you when we play pool and you 'accidently' hitting me with your elbow."  
  
"Well it wasn't an entire lie. You do taunt me during pool, and I have hit you while playing before."  
  
"Ah so you look at as more of a continuity error than a lie."  
  
"Exactly. Besides it's better than the truth."  
  
"You mean that we've been covering up each other's physical and emotional pain for years because it's better than letting people in on the truth about our lives. That our mothers died leaving our father's emotionally dead and every once in awhile we'd get smacked for stepping out of line in front of the wrong people."  
  
"Exactly. Storing up facts and randomly distributing them when a situation occurs is just easier."  
  
----Lex's rec room later that night-----  
  
Lex and Paris both in pajama pants and long sleeved shirts sitting on the floor in front of Lex's television playing Roadkill on Lex's Playstation 2.  
  
"No! Stop! Hey! No fair!" Paris screeched happily.  
  
"Tough break kid."  
  
"Oh yeah how do you like this?" Paris hit a series of buttons and blew Lex's car up ending the game.  
  
"Hey where'd you learn that?" He was astounded.  
  
"Alexander I've worked on a show with two males under 25, what do you think we did, played Majong?"  
  
"I guess not. You'll have to teach me that one."  
  
"Not a chance."  
  
"Cheater."  
  
"Sore loser. Alright I'm getting bored with video games. What else is there to do?"  
  
"Movie?"  
  
"Alright let's see what the Luthor collection has to offer." Paris got up and walked over to the shelves holding Lex's movies while he cleaned up the video game. "I don't want to watch any of these."  
  
"There are over 200 movies there. And you don't want to watch any of them. Someone's being a little presumptuous."  
  
"No. I respect the collection. But, okay the first section is for our intellectual film buff. Part two is action adventure, if it moves shoot it blow it up whatever, get the bad guy, don't get eaten by that and if it's a hot chick sleep with it. And on the bottom level we have comedies some feel goods, mostly guy friendly but admirable none the less. All in alphabetical order, can we say anal retentive? God Alexander I should have you organize my closet."  
  
"Where are you going with this?"  
  
"Where are they Alexander?"  
  
"Where are what?" Lex asked playing dumb.  
  
"Sections four and five chick flicks and family movies."  
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about."  
  
She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him in mock seriousness. "Lying are we?"  
  
"Fine but nothing starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks or you're sleeping outside."  
  
"Point taken. So where are they?" She asked bouncing on the balls of her feet giddy with delight.  
  
"Fine. Let me do it."  
  
"Do what?"  
  
Lex walked over to the book case containing the movies and pushed on one of the side panels. When it opened it revealed a good sized closet full of the movies Paris had just described, neatly arranged on their shelves.  
  
"Secret panels. What are we at Bruce's house?" She asked sarcastically stepping into the room behind Lex.  
  
"You think I'd actually leave these movies out in the open. And risk my masculinity."  
  
She arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at him. "Yes because owning when Harry met Sally automatically makes you gay! You sleep with women and you are very good at it. Get over yourself. Now if you owned Titanic that WOULD make you gay."  
  
He shook his head laughing. "I'm going to get something to drink. What do you want?"  
  
"Water please."  
  
Lex walked out of the closet leaving Paris to choose a movie. "Hmmmm. What to choose, what to choose." She quickly browsed through the family movies looking for the object she desired. "There you are Willy Wonka." She grabbed the movie and turned around just in time for the panel to swing closed, leaving her in total darkness. "Shit!" She muttered. "Alright Paris, don't panic. There has to be a way out of here." She tried running her hands down the wall in front of her looking for a light switch. "Damn it." She tried pushing on the door hoping it would open from the inside. "Come on!" She dropped the move and frantically pushed on the panel in front of her. Panic quickly setting in she began pounding on the door. "LET ME OUT! HELP! LEEEEEEEEXXXXX!"  
  
----Lex's kitchen----  
  
Lex's telephone rang. "Hello?"  
  
"Hi Lex."  
  
"Oh hi Martha. How are you?"  
  
"Very well and yourself?"  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"Good. I'm sorry to call so late."  
  
Lex chuckled. "Martha it's 9:30 on a Saturday I hardly call that late."  
  
"Well not all of us are used to the night life Lex. I was just calling about tomorrow night's dinner. Is there anything Paris doesn't eat?"  
  
"Martha you invited us to dinner at your home, you are a wonderful cook. Whatever you serve I am sure it will be delicious and well received by all parties."  
  
"Thank you Lex but I would still like to know if there is anything Paris prefers not to eat."  
  
"It's been awhile let me think for a minute. Paris doesn't eat veal because she thinks what they do to the baby cows is cruel and she doesn't eat beets because she says they taste like feet. That's all I can think of right now."  
  
"Veal and beets. Thank you Lex. Have a good evening. Come to think of it what are you and Paris up to this evening? Considering the lack of night life in Smallville." Martha asked curiously, they looked a little too cozy together to be 'just friends' in her opinion.  
  
"We played video games and we're going to watch a movie which she is choosing so I know I am in trouble."  
  
"Night in huh?"  
  
"Martha I can assure you that no matter what benign gossip the rumor mills in this town are churning out they are so far from the truth it's unbelievable."  
  
"Um hm."  
  
"Martha she's only staying with me until her house is finished."  
  
"Lex tell me. How many people do you know who move cross country just because a friend told them it was a nice place to live?"  
  
Lex couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth turn upward at the de ja vous. "Martha, Paris and I have been friends since forever. We did date at one time but outside forces made us quickly realize that a romantic relationship is not for us."  
  
"Lex how old were you?"  
  
"Eighteen."  
  
"How old are you now?"  
  
"Twenty two. I know where this is going. Good night Martha."  
  
"Good night Lex. Be here around 5:00 tomorrow."  
  
"Alright 5:00. Good bye Martha."  
  
"Good bye Lex."  
  
Lex put the phone down and shook his head smiling.  
  
----Back in the rec room----  
  
Lex walked in holding two drinks talking as he walked in. "Paris you'll never guess what just happened." He looked up and noticed Paris wasn't there. "Paris where are you?" He looked around and started to panic, especially since the mansion was not stranger to the strange and unexplained. "Paris we are too old for hide and seek." He put the drinks down on the table and quickly scanned the room. Then he heard muffled screams from the wall across the room. "Shit, Paris I'm coming!" He ran over to the bookcase and pushed on the panel revealing Paris, shaking and crying, having a full blown panic attack. "Hey, come here." He quickly grabbed her into a hug as she sobbed. "Shh. It's okay. You're out of there." He rubbed calming circles on her back. "I'm so sorry I forgot you're claustrophobic."  
  
She has calmed down after a few minutes and was sniffling a bit. "No it's okay. You didn't close the door. Right?" She quipped the 'right' lightly to keep him from feeling bad.  
  
"You found me out, I was planning on locking you in the movie closet."  
  
"Just as I suspected." She smiled against his chest.  
  
"How long has it been since that happened?"  
  
"Awhile actually considering I haven't been locked in a closet for years. Crap where's the movie?" She turned around in searching for it.  
  
Lex bent down to pick up the movie that lay at her feet. "You mean this?" He asked standing up.  
  
"Yes. Willy Wonka is a great movie and you know it."  
  
"Alright, but next time I get to pick."  
  
----The couch----  
  
They were at the part of the movie where Veruca Salt goes down the egg chute.  
  
Lex felt a head on his shoulder and Paris's weight on him. He looked over to see Paris with her legs tucked into her chest with her arms wrapped around them, leaning on his right shoulder sound asleep. He looked over at her and smiled at the peacefulness of her sleeping face. He tucked a few stray strands of soft honey brown hair behind her ear.  
  
"I don't know why I let you pick out the movies." He whispered. "You always fall asleep in the middle and leave me to watch the rest." He sighed and turned back to the screen. "You're no fun to argue with when you're asleep. The quality of the banter nose dives."  
  
Paris stirred slightly and mumbled in her sleep. "Dad no."  
  
"What?" Lex looked over bewildered.  
  
"Leave us alone. We're old enough."  
  
"I forgot you talk in your sleep." He leaned closer and whispered to her. "What are you old enough for Paris?"  
  
"To date Alexander. Dad I love him." A tear rolled down her cheek while she slept. "You can't make me leave him."  
  
Lex put his arm around her waist and hugged her closer. "It's okay Paris."  
  
Still talking in her sleep. "No he's not okay. He's sad."  
  
Lex rested his head on top of hers and let himself remember the night he assumed she was dreaming about.  
  
----Flashback four years prior----  
  
Fourth of July 1998. Lex and Paris, newly graduated from Excelsior Prep and awaiting college, are at a fourth of July celebration at Schrek Enterprises with their fathers.  
  
Paris is standing outside on a balcony, leaning against the grey stone railing, in a light pink spaghetti strap dress falling just above her knees and a pair of strappy heels of the same shade. Lex, wearing black suit pants and a lavender shirt with a black tie, silently walks outside quietly closing the doors behind him. He walks up next to Paris and puts an arm around her waist.  
  
"Did anyone see you come out here?" She asks.  
  
"Not a soul. Do you think we'll ever be able to tell anyone other than your grandfather about us?"  
  
"No." She replies sadly. "My father hates your father. He'd stop at nothing to make sure that our names are never linked publicly again."  
  
"If they didn't want us to like each other they never should have socialized us so much as children."  
  
"I know, ever since my mother died my dad has hated Lionel and he's been punishing me for it. But I'm happy with you whether I can tell the world or not. You're all I need Lex." She turns to him, places her hands on his face and pulls him into a searing kiss. She wraps her arms around his neck and he wraps his around her waist anchoring her to his body.  
  
Needing air after a few minutes they pull away slowly. "You taste like scotch."  
  
"You taste like Kahlua." He brought his lips to hers and kissed her softly running his tongue across her supple lips coaxing them apart. After gaining entrance their tongues battled for dominance.  
  
"MMMMM." She moaned into his mouth.  
  
"Paris don't." He breathed the words.  
  
"Don't what?" She asked coyly. Kissing the side of his neck right under the jaw line.  
  
"Paris we're going to get ah." He lost track of his thoughts as she sucked slightly on the sensitive skin.  
  
She stopped. "Maybe I want to get ah." She lightly ran her fingertips up and down his thigh.  
  
"Oh so you want to play." He intertwined their fingers and gently crossed her arms behind her back, leaving her defenseless, and dropped his lips to her collar bone running his velvety tongue over the tender skin.  
  
Paris closed her eyes and groaned. "I want you."  
  
Inside their fathers were looking for them. Malcolm and Lionel walked down the halls of the Schrek mansion checking corridors and rooms for their children.  
  
Malcolm Stratford a tall middle aged British man was growing impatient with the search. "Lionel you had better hope that my daughter is not with your son."  
  
"Get over yourself Malcolm. I want my name linked to yours about as much as you want yours linked to mine."  
  
"There is nothing wrong with the Stratford name. Luthor however is dripping with scandal and God knows what else."  
  
"Yes and Stratford is on no way tainted." Lionel said sarcastically.  
  
"Not like yours Lionel."  
  
Lionel spied a server from the party and stopped him. "Excuse me have you seen a tall bald young man or a brunette wearing a pink dress in the last hour or so?"  
  
"I'm sorry sir I have been in the ball room all night. I haven't seen them."  
  
"That's quite alright thank you."  
  
"I can tell you where they are." A voice came from the shadows.  
  
"Who is there?" Malcolm asked looking around.  
  
"Just me Mr. Stratford." Young Chip Schrek walked out of his spot in the shadows and face to face with the two fathers.  
  
"Chip what are you doing hiding in the shadows?" Lionel asked, impatient with the young man's devious behavior.  
  
"This is my father's house Mr. Luthor. I have the right to act in any manner I choose." Max answered smugly.  
  
"Always the smart ass aren't you Chip."  
  
"Will you two please shut up! Chip I believe you know where my daughter is."  
  
"Yes Mr. Stratford. I saw Paris and Lex in a rather compromising position out on the balcony."  
  
"Which one?" Malcolm asked.  
  
"Down this hall, turn left, second door on the right, opens right on to the balcony."  
  
"Thank you Chip."  
  
"You're welcome Mr. Stratford."  
  
Malcolm and Lionel started down the hall.  
  
"Oh Malcolm. I will be expecting a dance with Paris later tonight."  
  
"Of course you will Chip. I will let her know."  
  
Chip walked back toward the ballroom while Malcolm and Lionel took off toward the balcony.  
  
Paris had her back up against the railing of the balcony and Lex was standing in front of her with his back to the door. They were making out when Lionel and Malcolm burst onto the scene.  
  
"PARIS MARGARET STRATFORD JUST WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Malcolm was enraged.  
  
Startled Lex and Paris quickly separated and were standing side by side.  
  
"Are you blind? What does it look like we were doing?" Paris snarked.  
  
"Paris I am not in the mood for this."  
  
"Good that means you'll leave us alone."  
  
"Us!" Malcolm scoffed. "What do you mean us?"  
  
"Us indicating more than one. See there's me." She pointed to herself. "And Lex." She pointed to Lex. "And we were busy so will you please leave US alone!"  
  
"I most certainly will not."  
  
"Fine then, we'll leave."  
  
"That's right you, Paris, will leave this balcony and go back to the ball room and dance with Chip Schrek."  
  
"Like hell I will. Chip Schrek is an obnoxious, vile jackass. If he tries to lay one finger on me he's leaving this party in a body bag! And you won't be very far behind."  
  
"I am in the middle of a deal with Max Schrek. If his son wants to dance with you, you will grant him that pleasure and you will be cordile about it."  
  
"Pimping out your own daughter in order to seal a deal, isn't that a little low even for you dad?"  
  
"If you do one thing to mess this up young lady so help me I'll."  
  
"You'll what dad? Cut me off. You can't, I have a 60 billion dollar trust that takes care of everything I want and Grandpere will take care of the rest. Kick me out of the house. I have one of my own it was left to me. I'm dating Lex, you will just have to deal."  
  
Lionel finally spoke up. "Speaking of dating how long has this little charade been going on?"  
  
"Why do you care dad?" Lex asked defensively.  
  
"Just interested that's all. I want to know how long you two have been lying."  
  
"I don't think you of all people should be preaching about the dangers of lying dad. Not that either of you deserve to know but we've been dating since March of last year."  
  
"Does anyone else know about this?" Malcolm asked.  
  
"Grandpere, he's the only one besides our friends."  
  
"Well it ends tonight!" Malcolm demanded.  
  
"No dad, we're adults you can't dictate who either of us date!" She argued.  
  
"Lex, son, as much as I adore Paris I have to agree with Malcolm, and you know how much I hate that. You two dating would be too much of a conflict of interest."  
  
"For who dad? I don't see how us dating will effect either of you!"  
  
"That's because you're not looking at the big picture son. The future. If you and Paris were to marry that would join two of the most powerful companies in the world."  
  
"Hardly." Paris commented.  
  
"Just what does that mean young lady?" Malcolm was completely out of patience with his daughter.  
  
"It means I have no power in your company and I never will."  
  
"You're right, as of now you have no real voice at Stratford Enterprises but when you finish school there will be a position waiting for you and one day you will take over."  
  
"You mean you haven't told him yet?" Lex asked with an amused look on his face.  
  
"Told me what?"  
  
"Remember when that studio flew me out to California for an audition and I said nothing ever formulated out of it?"  
  
"Yes. You were disappointed but it got you back on the track that your life was supposed to take."  
  
"No dad it was the track you set for me before I was born I never wanted it. Any way I lied, I was offered the staring role in their television show, I fly out in two weeks to sign the contract and film the pilot."  
  
"PARIS THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE A FOOL OF ME?"  
  
"NO DAD I'M DOING WHAT I LOVE AND I'M GOING TO BE HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL!"  
  
"NO YOU ARE GOING TO SCHOOL AND YOU WILL COME TO WORK FOR ME AND IF YOUR LUCKY I MAY ONE DAY FORGIVE YOU FOR LYING TO ME!"  
  
"NO!" Tears were streaming down her face. "I AM DOING THIS AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME!"  
  
"We will discuss this at home."  
  
"No we won't. I'm done living my life for you."  
  
Lionel spoke up. "Well now that this is settled let's get back to the matter at hand. Paris dear I am sorry to do this but you and Lex need to break up. It will be better for everyone in the end."  
  
"No it won't dad. It will be better for you and Malcolm but what about us?"  
  
"Both of you will meet new people. This is puppy love you would have found that out eventually."  
  
"You don't know that. We love each other and neither of you are going to take that from us."  
  
"Lex be reasonable."  
  
"No dad you be reasonable. For once in your life let me be happy."  
  
"This is nauseating, Paris come. We are leaving the party and going back to the hotel." Malcolm grabbed Paris's arm but she pulled back.  
  
"Why so you can yell at me some more? NO! I am not going back with you!"  
  
"Fine take the limo back, pack your things and take the jet home! I will be returning to the party."  
  
"I can't believe you. If mom were alive she wouldn't let you do this."  
  
Malcolm slapped her across the left cheek. "DON'T YOU EVER SPEAK THAT WAY AGAIN YOUNG LADY!"  
  
"I am leaving this party right now. I am going back to the hotel. I am flying home, tonight ALONE. AND WHEN YOU GET HOME I WILL BE GONE! I HATE YOU AND I AM NEVER GOING BACK TO THAT PLACE AS LONG AS YOU ARE ALIVE!" Paris pushed past Lionel and Malcolm and walked through the door into the house. Malcolm followed but went down a hallway opposite of Paris.  
  
Lex tried to go after her but Lionel stopped him. "Lex don't. You're only going to make things worse at this point."  
  
"No, dad, please." Lex was pleading with Lionel.  
  
"I know it's hard but you must let her go Lex."  
  
Lex had tears in his eyes "I love her. You can't make me hurt her like that. You said it yourself there is nothing wrong with Paris, you like her. Why can't we be together?"  
  
"Pull yourself together Lex, Luthor men don't cry. Paris is part of your past you have to concentrate on the future."  
  
"You're wrong. She's my constant, she's part of my life. She's everything."  
  
"Your love for her may be real but it's a liability. It's easier this way. Her father would have tried to destroy my company. That company is my life and your future. As much as I hate Malcolm Stratford he is not a man I enjoy battling with. She's gone Lex. You have to accept that. She would have held you back anyway."  
  
"Please leave."  
  
"Lex."  
  
"GO!"  
  
"Fine." Lionel turned and walked into the house.  
  
Lex turned back around and stared at the grounds before him. He saw Paris's limousine drive silently off the Schrek property. A tear rolled down his cheek as he realized that he would have to let the one true love in his life go forever.  
  
----Present Day----  
  
The movie credits were rolling as Lex and Paris slept on the couch curled up together. 


	3. The fury of the Furor

AN: Sorry for the lag time between updates, school is crazy and I ran into some trouble when I was trying to convert episodes so I needed to find a way around that, I did. This chapter is short but I wanted to do something about the talk Lex and Lionel had in ch2. Alright read on.  
  
Dinner at the Kent's went rather well. Jonathan and Martha both loved Paris. Jonathan had begun to warm up to Lex more due to the presence of the brunette spit fire. Clark enjoyed trading Lex stories with her and telling her about his freinds, Martha enjoyed hearing about her mother, she was an Yvonne DuPris fan, and about Paris's love of dance and gymnastics, Jonathan was amazed at the wealth of knowledge and humor that the young woman possessed. Truth be told Lex was a bit jealous that the Kent's immediately embraced his friend, but then again his father had burned enough bridges in this town and he had literally destroyed one. Plus knowing Paris as long as he had he knew that her spirit was contagious and that her life was not all wine and roses as she let people believe. Her mother died when she was fifteen, her father was never there for her, the only other family she had lived on an entirely different continent, she went into a deep depression after her mother died leaving her with emotional and physical scars, she had to more than compensate for her family name when it came to adversaries and critics who thought she was just some good looking girl with a powerful name and no brains, she was actually as smart as if not smarter than him he remembered many a time when she hacked into Excelsior's mainframe to fix his absences or someone's grades, the only constant friend she had was Lex and her father did his best to drive a wedge between them but the two teens but with the help of a few good friends managed to overcome that, when she was 18 he all but disowned her, and then there were the things Lex said and did to her and blamed her for when they broke up eventually she forgave him he still couldn't forget all the pain he had caused her, but somehow she always managed to keep a smile on her face, well at least when people were looking.  
  
----Monday afternoon Lex's mansion----  
  
Paris was on a conference call in the office Lex had set up for her when one of the servants knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in." She called.  
  
"Ms. Stratford your father is here to see you."  
  
"Oh this ought to be interesting. Jeff, Mal I have to call you back, the furor is in town." She hung up with her call. "Please show him in." She sat back in her chair, crossed her legs at the knees and crossed her arms over her chest. She sat back and waited with a smug yet amused look on her face.  
  
Malcolm burst into the room with a red face and an angry glare fixed on his daughter. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"  
  
She smiled slightly. "Nice to see you too father. I'm rather well, and yourself?"  
  
"Very cute Paris. I warned you about Lionel but you just wouldn't listen to me."  
  
"What are you talking about you diluted old Brit? Have you been in the cooking sherry?"  
  
"Don't get smug with me. You know very well what you did. How long did it take for him to get you to tell him about Stein Fiber Optics?"  
  
"I didn't tell him about them Lex told me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Lionel wanted that company just as bad as you did, he also held almost all of the controlling stock. Lex did what he could to stave off the takeover but Lionel got to him. I guess the most ruthless man won."  
  
"Nonsense."  
  
"Come on dad do you really think I sat in Lex's office and divulged your deepest most secret business plans?"  
  
"Truthfully I don't know Paris. You are so full of surprises, not to mention your history of lies and deceit."  
  
"Of course because I'm the devil child, the constant disappointment. Your greatest failure."  
  
"See telling the truth isn't that hard now is it?"  
  
The weight of her father's statement hit Paris harder than if he had physically attacked her but years of experience taught her not to show it, 'no that would only satisfy the old bastard' she thought angrily to herself. "What can I say I have my moments. Lex is the one you need to be having the rest of this conversation with so why don't we go pay him a visit."  
  
"Good I have my chauffer waiting."  
  
"I'm not getting into a car with you. Your driver can follow me."  
  
"Fine."  
  
----Luthor Corp----  
  
Paris and Malcolm walked to Lex's office.  
  
"Has anyone ever told you that your driving is detrimental to one's health? How fast were you going on that road back there?"  
  
"You should know dad, you always had to make sure my speeding tickets didn't actually get recorded. And I was only going 90 back there."  
  
"Reckless youth." Malcolm shook his head.  
  
They stopped in front of whom Paris could only assume was Lex's secretary. "Excuse me we have a meeting with Lex Luthor."  
  
"Your name Miss.?"  
  
"Stratford."  
  
"Thank you." The secretary picked up her phone and called Lex. "Mr. Luthor, Miss Stratford is here to see you. Yes sir I will." She hung up the phone. "Mr. Luthor will see you now." She lead them to Lex's office and closed the doors behind her as she left.  
  
"Paris, Malcolm what brings you here?" Lex asked.  
  
"Well it seems that my father believes that I did the unspeakable and traded secrets with your father." Paris said in a chipper tone.  
  
"Well that's just plain wrong." Lex said with a smile on his face.  
  
"Will you two stop acting like children." Malcolm said impatiently.  
  
Both of them rolled their eyes at him.  
  
"Mr. Straford why don't you have a seat?" Lex motioned to the chairs in front of his desk.  
  
"Thank you Alexander." Malcolm strode over to the chairs and took a seat.  
  
"Would either of you like a drink?"  
  
"No we're fine."  
  
"Speak for yourself father dear." Paris walked over to the bar and poured herself 2 fingers of Lex's scotch. She stood silently as Lex and her fathers discussed business.  
  
"Mr. Stratford I assure you that Paris has done nothing wrong. We were discussing a business venture of my father's and I told her about the company. He had almost all of the controlling shares and he wanted to dump them in order to get the company at below market price. I was trying to keep the company afloat. I had no idea that you were even interested in them until she told me that you were in negotiations with them. My father ordered me, more or less, to sell the stocks by this morning and I did."  
  
"To whom may I ask?"  
  
"Two people actually. Bruce Wayne he had the other shares that my father needed and he took mine also."  
  
"And?"  
  
Lex looked in Paris's direction and cocked an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Paris?" Malcolm asked surprised. "But why?"  
  
"I assure you that my intentions for the company are pure, I just needed to get the Luthor name off the controlling stock. My father wouldn't dare go after either Paris or Bruce."  
  
"Did I forget to mention that? Must've slipped my mind when you started your verbal tirade on me. But I would be willing to sell part of my stock to you dad."  
  
"And Bruce will be selling part of his to me. We will all have a quarter share in the company. What do you say Mr. Stratford would you be partners with the three of us?"  
  
"Your father will have no part in this?"  
  
"Not at all."  
  
"Well as long as Lionel doesn't touch it I see no problem."  
  
"Great I'll have my lawyers send the paperwork to your office."  
  
"That will be fine." Malcolm and Lex both rose from their seats and shook hands.  
  
Malcolm turned to walk out of the room and stopped in front of Paris. "Not much of a disappointment now am I dad?" She asked in a low stern tone, making sure Lex couldn't hear her, and with a serious look on her face.  
  
Malcolm didn't say anything, he just strode past her and out the room leaving Lex and Paris to themselves.  
  
"What was that all about?"  
  
Paris shook her head. "Nothing."  
  
"Don't lie to me, we're business partners now." Lex said with a playful smile.  
  
"My father came into my office today and started accusing me of selling him out to Lionel. I asked him if he was serious. He accused me of lying and brought up my colorful past. I got cocky and said 'Of course because I'm the devil child, the constant disappointment. Your greatest failure.' And he said, 'See telling the truth isn't that hard now is it?' And I just sat there shocked for a second because he wasn't joking." She shook her head. "Maybe I'm just over reacting. I really don't care. I mean he's always alluded to that for years, and you and I we joke about it." She trailed off.  
  
"But it's never been put into words?" Lex asked gently.  
  
She nodded 'yes,' before quickly changing the subject. "Anyway, I should go. You have work to do and I have some calls to make Jeff and Mel are like lost without me and I probably have like 1,000 e-mails to answer. Thanks for the office by the way."  
  
"No problem."  
  
Paris put her drink down and turned to walk out the door. Lex watched her walk to the door.  
  
"Paris." Lex called when she got to the door.  
  
She turned around to face him. "Yeah?"  
  
"I don't know who your father thinks he is but he's crazy for saying you're anything but perfect."  
  
"Thanks Lex." She gave him a watery smile. "I'll see you tonight."  
  
"Yeah, tonight."  
  
She walked out the door.  
  
In the back of Lex's mind he knew that his words, although true, had little to no effect on her. They had the same upbringing, anything less than their standard of perfection was utter failure in their fathers' eyes, including their children, and they took every opportunity possible to remind both of them of that. 


	4. Turkey Day

Set a week after Dichotic.  
  
----The Talon----  
  
Lex walked in the Talon, holding the newest issue of the Torch, and saw Paris sitting in a booth in the back, chewing on a red Sharpie and talking to herself.  
  
She was reading a script. "Crap, crap, crap. Utterly mind numbing insipid crap." She turned the page. "Oh bloody 'ell. You must be joking." She said exasperated as she continued talking to herself.  
  
Lex walked up to the table and cleared his throat. Paris didn't look up from what she was doing. "Yeah, sit, I'll be done in a minute."  
  
"Gee you're oh so pleasant today. I'm glad I took the time to come here." Lex said dryly.  
  
"Bloody wanker, I can't believe him. Overpaid fuckwit." She ranted to the script in her hand.  
  
"That's alright I like having conversations with myself. Hey look here comes your dad." Lex said nonchalantly.  
  
That got her attention. "Huh, what, parental unit in the vicinity?" Paris's head shot up and she looked around the room.  
  
Lex smiled at her. "Finally. Your dad's not here, I just got tired of talking to myself."  
  
"That was just plain cruel Luthor."  
  
"It was a last resort I assure you. Did you know that your accent gets thicker when you're angry?"  
  
"Utterly infuriated actually. Have a 9 iron I can borrow? I heard the cops are keeping the driver for evidence." She smirked raising an eyebrow at Lex. She threw the script on the table and wrote 'CRAP' on the cover.  
  
"Are you ever going to let that go?" He asked, returning the smirk.  
  
"Eventually." She said taking a sip of her coffee.  
  
"I was surprised that you weren't home when I got there."  
  
"Are you kidding I can actually go out in public, without makeup and all that crap and not be swarmed by people. Besides, no offence, but your house gives me the creeps."  
  
Lex smiled. "It does have a certain medieval feel to it. I see you have a plethora of reading material with you though." He said picking up the script she had put down.  
  
"I do believe that my manager is trying to get himself fired with that one, bloody wanker." She said as she took another sip from her coffee.  
  
"You know I've always wondered. How do you decide what movies you're going to do?"  
  
"It's actually pretty easy, for me at least. I read them and break them up into 3 piles. The one's I absolutely will not do for one reason or another, usually because they're bad, go in the pile on my left. The crap' pile. The one's I may do are in the 'second read pile' on my right, and the one's I want to produce are in the middle."  
  
"Well the crap pile is quite large today." Lex said chuckling.  
  
"Yeah I know. Out of the three in my second read pile there's only 1 I really want to do."  
  
"But that's why you took a few months off right? I re-coop and find a project you really want to do?"  
  
"Yeah, that and catch my breath. I can't believe I've only been here three weeks."  
  
"That's good. I brought you something." He handed her the issue of the Torch he had brought with him.  
  
"Oh cool!" She took it and read the article Chloe wrote about her, she was above the fold 'Smallville's Newest Resident Revealed' was the title. The bottom story was about Ian. "See and I managed to not share any embarrassing Lex stories." She smiled brightly at him.  
  
"I am appreciative of that." Lex settled back in his chair and took a sip of his coffee while she read. He was enjoying his time with his friend, they hadn't gotten to sped any quality time together since their fathers found out about them.  
  
Chloe and Clark walked up to the table.  
  
"Hey guys." Clark said happily.  
  
Paris looked up from the paper. "Hey Clark. Chloe nice job I am enjoying the article." She smiled at them.  
  
"Thanks, between you and Ian I couldn't decide who to put above the fold, but you didn't try to kill me so you won."  
  
"Well that's a hell of a way to win coin toss." Paris said jokingly.  
  
"How are you recovering from your latest brush with the dark side Chloe?" Lex asked kindly.  
  
"Oh you know. I didn't wind up in the hospital this time so I consider it a victory on some level." Chloe said with a smile.  
  
"Wait, this isn't the first time something like this happened?" Paris asked confused.  
  
"You could say that." Clark said shrugging.  
  
"This place is weird, but I still haven't run into any 6 foot 5 Marilyn Monroes with a 5:00 shadow so it can't be all that weird." Paris said jokingly. "So what brings you two over here?"  
  
Clark spoke up. "Well Thanksgiving is next week and we were wondering if you two wanted to have Thanksgiving with our families, at my house. If you don't have plans already."  
  
"It's really fun, and Mrs. Kent makes this giant turkey and awesome pumpkin pie."  
  
Paris blinked a few times. "Thanksgiving completely slipped my mind."  
  
"How? I mean it is huge around here." Clark asked bewildered.  
  
"No, I noticed the decorations were up but it never registered. It's not a big holiday in my family. My dad's British and they're still pissed about the Revolutionary war." That got a laugh from the group. "And my Mom was French, so anything short of Mardi Gras doesn't even show up on their radar. Why didn't you say anything about it?" She asked Lex.  
  
"I just assumed you were capable of reading a calendar. Well I know my father's going to be out of town until December, not that I would willingly spend an entire day with him, so I'm in. How about you?"  
  
"Yeah definitely."  
  
"Alright we'll see you Thursday afternoon then. Later."  
  
"Yeah I have to go work on an article. Bye."  
  
"Bye Cark, Chloe."  
  
"Later you two. Hey Chloe."  
  
"Yeah Paris?"  
  
"Not every guy you like will turn out to be like Ian. You'll find the right one."  
  
"Thanks, but what makes you so sure?"  
  
"Don't worry, I just am."  
  
"Alright. Later." Chloe turned and walked to the door with a sense of hope.  
  
Lex turned back to Paris. "Shouldn't you be looking in the mirror when you say things like that?"  
  
She was exasperated with him. "Lex, the girl has been harboring a crush on her best friend who is in love with her roommate. And was just crushed by who she thought was the one person capable of understanding her. Right now she thinks that every guy in the world is either homicidal or complete pond scum. She needed a pep talk."  
  
"What makes you such an expert in the field of love?"  
  
"Would you believe I'm an old soul?" She asked jokingly.  
  
"Try again." Lex quipped.  
  
"Oh let's see, between counseling you and Bruce through many a girlfriend, and Albert. Well I could write a series of dating Encyclopedias about my cousin's love life. I've become very attune to when someone needs a little love pick me up."  
  
"And somehow you have managed to ignore your own good advice?"  
  
"I knew I was gonna pay for that comment on your uncanny ability to strictly date bimbos." She said shaking her head.  
  
"Not entirely, I mean you're 22, successful, smart, beautiful, scarily strong willed and independent."  
  
"Are you going somewhere with this or are you just going to sit here and complement me all day? Cause I can go for either."  
  
"Why are you sitting in a coffee house in Kansas, with me talking about teenage dating woes?"  
  
"Cause this is where I want to be."  
  
"But why? I mean we've been friends since what, birth?"  
  
"Yeah about."  
  
"Okay so I know you pretty well. So it kind of shocked me when you called me up in September, hysterical, saying that you hated L.A. and we're moving as soon as you finished shooting the show. Weren't you engaged?"  
  
"I was. We were happy." She stopped.  
  
"But?"  
  
"But he turned out to be an asshole and I wasn't going to marry him."  
  
"What kind of asshole? Unsupportive, jealous, ego maniac?"  
  
"No. No he was a special kind of asshole, not unique but definitely in a whole different realm of asshole. He was the kind of guy who sleeps with his secretary in my house and then gets pissed at me when I walk in on them."  
  
"Ouch." Lex cringed.  
  
"Yeah it wasn't pretty. So I kicked him out, said to hell with this I'm moving somewhere where people don't think this is okay to do, not to me." She shook her head. "That's when I called you."  
  
"You wanted to be around people who don't think cheating on their significant other is okay so you called me? That L.A. smog must've fried your brain."  
  
Paris smiled sadly and looked up at him. "How many times did you cheat on me?"  
  
"None." Lex gave his self-deprecating half smile.  
  
"Exactly." Paris smiled back.  
  
"And here you are."  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Any more to the story?"  
  
"Yeah, but that's for a later date."  
  
"Hint taken."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
----Thanksgiving day----  
  
The Kent household was a buzz of excitement. Martha was in the kitchen preparing food as the guests started to arrive. Clark came bounding down the stairs when the doorbell rang. Chloe, Gabe and Lana were on the other side.  
  
"Hey guys. Happy Thanksgiving." Clark said as his friends came inside.  
  
"You too Clark." Chloe said as she ushered past him toward the kitchen.  
  
"Thanks Clark, you too." Lana said following Chloe.  
  
"Hello Clark."  
  
"Hello Mr. Sullivan." Clark was about to close the door behind Gabe when he saw Paris's silvery blue Porch pull up with techno music blaring from the speakers. The next sight he saw completely amused him. Paris got out of the drivers side and Lex was the passenger. From the look on Lex's face and his posture he definitely was not happy about being the passenger. Clark had to stifle laughter as the duo walked up the steps to the house, but Lex saw the twinkle in his eye.  
  
"Don't say it Clark." Lex said warningly.  
  
"What? I mean it's not every day you see Lex Luthor get out of the passenger side of a car with a license plate reading PMS 911. But who'd laugh at that?" Clark said with a snort at the end.  
  
Paris bounded up the stairs behind Lex laughing. "Don't be such a cave man Lex."  
  
Lex turned to her. "Do shut up, least favorite house guest of mine."  
  
Clark followed Lex and Paris in the house. "So what's the deal anyway?"  
  
They followed Clark to the kitchen bickering the whole way. "No deal, just didn't feel like driving."  
  
"coughbullshitcough"  
  
"Shut it."  
  
"He's just mad because he lost at pool."  
  
Clark's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You lost at pool?"  
  
"Don't look so surprised Clark, girls can shoot pool."  
  
"You cheated."  
  
"Lair."  
  
"Alright you two, do I need to separate you?" Martha said jokingly with her hands on her hips.  
  
Paris and Lex looked at each other and started laughing hysterically.  
  
"What's so funny?" Chloe asked, slightly confused by the sight of Lex Luthor near tears in laughter. 'Mental note, send Paris a thank you note for the new Lex.'  
  
It took the two a few minutes to compose themselves. Lex had his hand on the edge of counter bracing himself because of the laughter. Paris was wiping tears out of her eyes from laughing so hard. "We. I. Nose." Paris dissolved back into laughter.  
  
"Let me try."  
  
"Okay but it's my story."  
  
"Well then tell it."  
  
"I can't, too much laughter."  
  
Even Jonathan and Gabe's interest was piqued. 'Lex Luthor, laughing in my kitchen, now where's Chloe's trusty camera when you need it?' Jonathan thought to himself amused.  
  
"Alright I'll tell it." Lex made sure he was composed enough to tell it. "We have a habit of getting into trouble around the holidays."  
  
"What kind of trouble?" Lana asked.  
  
"Interesting trouble to say the least. This particular story ends with me in the Emergency Room with a broken nose."  
  
"Usually it's because we would be stuck together for too long and one of us would snap, and that's never good. I mean you heard the sailing story." Paris shook her head and stated laughing again.  
  
"Okay but what has you two laughing so hard?" Clark asked. 'Mental note, I have never seen Lex laugh so hard since I met him. Screw that, I've only seen him chuckle and those were weak.'  
  
Lex started the story. "We were what 7?"  
  
"Yeah about, remember I'm 6 months older than you." She said jokingly.  
  
"Fine whatever, you're older and superior and you kicked my butt at pool today. Are you happy now?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'm still taller than you."  
  
"By six inches, I hardly call that a victory."  
  
"I can still make you jump for your car keys."  
  
"Do you remember what happened last time you did that?" Paris said arrogantly.  
  
"What happened last time he did that?" Lana asked amused.  
  
"I kneed him."  
  
"Well what's so... Oh never mind." Chloe said. "That must've been, well unpleasant."  
  
Clark jumped in. "Chloe."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You're rambling."  
  
"Okay, stopping now."  
  
Lex looked at Paris with mock annoyance. "Anyway. It was her first Thanksgiving in the states."  
  
"How's that?" Martha asked  
  
"I was born in France. My father owns houses in England and France, so we lived in France, most of the time, because of my grandfather until I was school age, then we moved to England. Seeing as how he's British my dad has this thing for the British school system. But we had to move to New York when dad decided to finish taking over Manhattan. Before that we would only come to the states for holiday or business with dad."  
  
"Oh." Martha nodded in understanding.  
  
"So we all met up in Gotham city to have a 'proper' Thanksgiving with the Waynes."  
  
"There's the first mistake, having three only children under one roof for an elongated period of time is never a good idea. Especially when one doesn't know how to share."  
  
"Would you like to continue the story?"  
  
"No go ahead Mother Goose. Just let me add that if my father had grabbed the right doll none of this would have happened."  
  
"Oh it would have happened, you just wouldn't have had a weapon." Lex said sarcastically.  
  
"A weapon? Jeez Paris what kind of dolls did you play with as a kid?" Chloe asked, amused.  
  
Paris laughed. "It's not the doll, it's the person using the doll."  
  
"Can I start the story please?"  
  
"Fine Mr. Impatient. Watch out though, I still have that doll somewhere."  
  
Lex just smirked before starting the story. "Wait, I don't know the beginning."  
  
"Oh yeah I forgot about that. Okay so here's what happened."  
  
----Wayne Manor, Thanksgiving Day 1987----  
  
The Waynes and Stratfords were sitting at the dining room table in Wayne manor, eating breakfast, waiting for the Luthors to arrive.  
  
"So Paris how do you like your new school?" Mrs. Wayne asked.  
  
"I don't." The little girl said quietly.  
  
"Why not? School's fun." Young Bruce Wayne asked.  
  
"No it's not." Paris looked down and picked at her breakfast. "Maman peut j'aller montre le défilé à la television?"  
  
Malcolm bristled at his daughter's use of French at the table. "Paris don't be rude. If you want to ask a question please do so in English."  
  
The little girl looked like she might cry. "Sorry. Mommy may I go watch the parade on television?"  
  
Yvonne Stratford was a tall (about 5 foot 7), slender, French woman with long curly brown hair and blue eyes, she had medium olive skin, full red lips and a beautiful smile. Yvonne smiled at her daughter. "Yes sweetheart."  
  
Pairs scooted her chair away from the table and started to walk out of the room.  
  
"Paris sweetheart please come back here."  
  
Paris turned around and quickly walked over to her mother. "Yes mommy?"  
  
Yvonne reached out and picked up her daughter and set her on her lap hugging her. "I love you." She kissed her little girl on the cheek.  
  
Paris brightened up a bit and hugged her mother back. "I love you too mommy. Can I go watch the parade now?"  
  
Yvonne chuckled. "Yes dear."  
  
Paris hopped off her mother's lap and happily skipped out of the room.  
  
Bruce looked at his father. "Dad can I go?"  
  
Thomas Wayne nodded his head in agreement before his son could finish his question. Bruce happily hopped off his chair and ran out of the room after his friend.  
  
Martha Wayne called after her young son. "And don't pester Alfred."  
  
"Okay mom."  
  
The adults began talking amongst themselves.  
  
"Why doesn't she like school?" Martha Wayne asked. "She's a very bright girl."  
  
"I know. She misses her cousins, and she's been having a hard time making friends. Some of the kids make fun of her accent."  
  
"Well that's terrible." Thomas Wayne said. "Have you talked to anyone at the school about this?"  
  
"Yes, oddly enough we weren't the one's who called them. They called us." Malcolm said before taking a sip of his coffee.  
  
"Well that's good, at least the school recognized the problem." Martha said.  
  
Yvonne shook her head 'no'. "Hardly. It was actually about Paris. She hadn't told us what was going on. Apparently one day she had enough, a girl was making fun of her about something absurd, so during art class Paris cut the girl's hair."  
  
"How much?" Martha Wayne asked, with a look of shock and amusement on her face.  
  
"An entire pig tail, she cut right up to the rubber band."  
  
Martha's eyes grew wide, and she stifled a chuckle. "You're kidding." She said with disbelief.  
  
Yvonne smiled, hiding her laughter, and shook her haid 'no' again.  
  
"Not at all. The girl was almost completely bald on one half of her head they had to cut the rest of her hair to match the length. Poor child looks like a boy now." Malcolm said drearily. "On the one hand I'm proud of her for standing up for herself. But on the other we cannot encourage her outbursts, she'll grow up to become emotionally irrational. Not to mention attacking other children, it's not healthy."  
  
"Well she's adjusting Malcolm, she's only 7 she'll get used to it here. Besides the little chit had it coming." Yvonne added. "This girl tormented Paris almost everyday. After the incident in art class she hasn't even glanced at my baby."  
  
"Yvonne you can't coddle her for the rest of her life."  
  
Yvonne just shook her head at her husband.  
  
The Waynes laughed from where they sat.  
  
"You do have to admit Malcolm chap. The situation is rather funny when you think about it. Who was the girl anyway?"  
  
"Victoria Hardwick."  
  
Thomas sobered. "Sir Harry's daughter? When did they move to the states?"  
  
"He didn't. They got a divorce so his ex-wife took Victoria back to New York."  
  
Bruce caught up with Paris in the downstairs T.V. room. They sat happily watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the next two hours until Alfred came in and told them that the Luthors had arrived. Paris and Bruce raced to the front door to greet their friend.  
  
----Back to the Kitchen----  
  
Chloe was laughing. "You cut Victoria Hardwick's hair off?"  
  
"Yes I did and I'm still proud of it."  
  
"What'd your parents say when the school called?" Martha asked.  
  
"My dad just shook his head and said Lord help me with this child. And my mom took me out for ice cream. Needless to say I was confused."  
  
"She didn't yell at you?" Lana asked confused.  
  
"No my dad was always better at yelling at me. She was my ally, we talked through things instead of her punishing me. I sincerely believe that I could have burned our building down and she wouldn't have yelled at me. Anyway here's where the story gets interesting. Lex I do believe it is your turn."  
  
"Thank you very much." Lex began his half.  
  
----Back to 1987----  
  
Enter a pissed off 6 year old Lex Luthor  
  
Lex had gotten into a fight at school the day before so not only did he have a black eye but his dad took away his 'Warrior Angel' comic, AND he had to listen to Lionel lecture on fighting and how it showed just as much as weakness as crying. Lionel's words still echoed in his head, "Your fists are your last resort son and they know that, you're smarter than them. Besides if you do decide to fight someone, make sure you can win, black eyes don't suit you." Blah, blah, blah, the rest was a blur to Lex because he had tuned his father out somewhere around Topeka. 'I would have won the stupid fight if the idiot hadn't kicked me in the chest. Damn asthma.' He thought glumly.  
  
Paris and Bruce came tearing into the large foyer and screeched to a halt when they saw their friend.  
  
"Hey Lex." Bruce said.  
  
"What happened to your eye?" Paris asked concerned.  
  
"Shut up Paris, don't ask stupid questions." Lex said angrily.  
  
"Alexander Joseph Luthor we don't talk that way." Lionel chastised his son. "Apologize."  
  
"But dad." Lex whined.  
  
Lionel fixed an angry look on the boy.  
  
Lex looked to his mother for help. "Your father's right dear." She said, looking at her son kindly.  
  
Paris stuck her tongue out at him when neither of his parents were looking.  
  
"Fine. I'msorryIyelledatyouParis." Lex said neutrally, glaring at her.  
  
Paris smiled smugly. "Good."  
  
Bruce looked at his cocky friend in astonishment then turned back to Lex. "So what happened?"  
  
"I got into a fight. Are you happy now?"  
  
"Well who won?" Paris asked innocently.  
  
Lex just looked at her angrily and stomped off down the hall.  
  
"I guess it wasn't him." Bruce whispered to Paris, they dissolved in giggles.  
  
Neither child had noticed their parents walk in.  
  
"Bruce it's not polite to whisper." Thomas Wayne corrected his son.  
  
Bruce stiffened at the sound of his father's voice. Paris quickly stopped giggling and followed suit, knowing her parents were probably present too. They quickly scurried off in search of Lex. They finally found him in Bruce's play room. He was sitting on the floor doing a 1000 piece puzzle of 'The Hulk.'  
  
"Hey I've been working on that all week, no fair if you finish it." Bruce protested.  
  
Lex was annoyed. "Fine. Then find something else to do."  
  
Bruce walked over to a bookshelf across the room and took out a pack of UNO cards. "How about UNO?"  
  
"Fine." Lex said sitting on the floor, crossing his legs Indian style.  
  
"Sure." Paris sat across from Lex. She sat Indian style also but made sure that her, purple corduroy jumper covered her knees so no one could see up it. When she started school she had to wear a uniform skirt everyday and her mother had told her it wasn't lady like to let anyone see up your skirt. Bruce joined the circle and dealt the cards to his friends.  
  
After about an hour Bruce had won 3 games and Paris had won 2, Lex hadn't won any.  
  
Paris discarded a yellow reverse, leaving her with 1 card. Meaning it was now Lex's turn again. "UNO."  
  
Lex looked at his hand. 3 green cards and 4 blue ones and not one word card in the lot. Lex shot her an annoyed look before drawing a card from the pile. Red 7. "Man this stinks."  
  
Bruce put a yellow 7 down on the discard pile and Paris happily put her red 7 on top of it.  
  
"I'm out." She said happily.  
  
"We can see that. God we're not blind over here." Lex snapped at her before throwing his cards down.  
  
"What's your problem?" Bruce asked.  
  
"Nothing. I'm just in a bad mood, my eye looks stupid and it hurts and you and princess sunshine won like every hand."  
  
"It's not like we were keeping score." Paris said, hoping to lighten the situation.  
  
"Shut up. Why don't you go do something girly?"  
  
"There's no one else to play with."  
  
"Well then go play by yourself. My dad yelled at me because of you. I don't want to play with you anymore."  
  
"I hate you. And you have stupid clown hair." With that Paris left the room in search of something to do.  
  
----Present day----  
  
"Stupid clown hair?" Lana asked laughing.  
  
"I was 7, I wasn't entirely erudite back then, and he really did look like Bozo."  
  
"Where did you go after you yelled at me?"  
  
"I wandered around the house for awhile, then I found Alfred in the kitchen. We talked for awhile."  
  
"You talked to Alfred, the Yoda of Gotham, and you still hit me?" Lex said shocked.  
  
"I could have talked to Ghandi and still wound up knocking you on your ass. You were a very annoying child."  
  
The room erupted in laughter.  
  
----1987----  
  
"I hate you. And you have stupid clown hair." With that Paris left the room in search of something to do. She wanted to go cry to her mom but she knew her dad probably wouldn't like that. She wandered down one of the long corridors for a few minutes when she smelled something cooking. She followed her nose and opened the swinging door to find Alfred cooking Thanksgiving dinner.  
  
Alfred saw the kitchen door swing open. Whoever came in was too short to be seen over the counter and but he didn't see a tuft of brown hair or red so he assumed it was young Paris. When the counter stool moved and a head of honey brown hair in two French braids and large green eyes climbed up and smiled at him he knew he was right.  
  
Paris situated herself on the stool so she was kneeling and had her chin resting on her elbows, she looked intently at Alfred as he rolled out the pie crust.  
  
"What are you doing?" Paris asked.  
  
Alfred smiled at the child. "Well I'm glad you asked Miss. Paris. I am making a crust for the pie."  
  
"Oh. Why?"  
  
"Because Angela the normal cook is sick so I'm filling in."  
  
"Oh, okay. Alfred are you from England?"  
  
"Yes I am."  
  
"What part?"  
  
"Dover actually. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Do you ever miss it?"  
  
"Sometimes, but the Waynes are very nice people. They are like family to me."  
  
"Oh." Paris got a somber look on her face. "My family is all in Europe."  
  
"Do you miss them?"  
  
"Sometimes. My grandma and Grandpa Stratford live in England, I like them. I miss my cousin Albert because we play together, and I miss my Grandmare and Grandpere in France, they're nice. But I don't miss Elizabeth, she's Albert's older sister, she's mean."  
  
Alfred chuckled. "Well my dear with the acceptation of Elizabeth you seem to have a nice family. Would you like an apple slice?"  
  
"Yes please." Paris gladly accepted the fruit, she had hardly ate any of her breakfast and the smell of food was making her tummy rumble. "I like them a lot. I don't have anyone to play with here." She took a bite of her fruit.  
  
"What about Master Bruce and Master Alexander?"  
  
She shook her head 'no.' "That's different, they don't live by me. I only see them sometimes. Besides Lex is being really mean right now, so I don't like him very much."  
  
"That's understandable. Give him time, he'll be nice again. I assure you. What about the children in New York?"  
  
"I don't know. They're stuck up and they don't like the way I talk. But that's okay because I don't like the way they talk either, they sound like they have stuffy noses."  
  
"Well I don't see why. A British accent is a delightful one, if I do say so myself. Julie Andrews has a British accent you know."  
  
Paris smiled at him. "I know, I like Mary Poppins."  
  
"And you are a very delightful young lady. Those other children will come around soon."  
  
Yvonne entered the room and walked up to her daughter. "There you are sweetheart. Alfred I hope she isn't bothering you."  
  
"Nonsense Mrs. Stratford, Miss Paris and I were engaged in a conversation about the English accent."  
  
Yvonne smiled at her daughter. "You were, were you. And what about the French accent Paris?"  
  
"J'aime cette un trop maman." Paris said in perfect French, complete with accent. -Translation: 'I like that one very much also.'  
  
"Alright you. Come on we'll go read more of your Matilda book. Thank you for watching her Alfred, she just loves to wander off."  
  
"It was my pleasure Madam."  
  
Yvonne picked up her daughter and carried her to the door.  
  
"Bye Alfred, it was nice talking to you." Paris waved at him over her mother's shoulder.  
  
"You too Miss. Paris." After they left Alfred smiled and continued making his pie.  
  
Dinner had gone by without any problems. All three children knew to be on their best behavior. Lex didn't even look at Paris, which was fine with her because she was pretty sure that if he said one more mean thing to her that she was going to throw mashed potatoes at his head. It wasn't her fault that he lost his fight, the fight was probably his fault anyway, he had such a big mouth. 'Stupid clown haired jerk.' She thought to herself. 'If he's not nice I'll cut it off.'  
  
After dinner the boys watched football with their father's while they discussed business and the mother's went on a walk outside the manor with Paris. Around 8:00 the mothers got the children ready for bed and sent them to the play room until it was time for bed.  
  
Lex and Bruce were playing Mario Brothers on Bruce's new Nintendo system.  
  
"When's it my turn?" Paris asked impatiently.  
  
"As soon as one of us dies, and the way Lex is playing you won't have to wait long."  
  
"Oh. Okay."  
  
Lex's turn was up not too long after that so he handed the controller over to Paris, begrudgingly. "Fine but it's not like you're any good anyway. You'll be out before you know it." He said smugly as he went and sit down on the couch behind his friends. To his surprise Paris was quite good at the game, she finished the level he died on and was currently in the middle of the next one.  
  
"Where did you get so good at this?" Bruce asked.  
  
"My cousin has one, we played it all the time in England."  
  
"Hmph." Lex made an disgruntled sound from the couch.  
  
"What are you mad about now?" Bruce asked.  
  
"She's taking too long, it should be my turn again."  
  
Paris paused the game and turned to talk to Lex. "No it shouldn't. We change controllers when someone dies and I haven't died yet so it's not your turn Lex. Why don't you bug Bruce for his controller?"  
  
"Because if you weren't here I wouldn't have to share with you. You took my spot and I want it back."  
  
Paris took a deep breath and turned around to play the game and ignore Lex.  
  
Bruce leaned over and whispered to her. "Don't let him bug you he's just in a bad mood."  
  
Paris nodded and continued playing the game, ignoring Lex.  
  
"If you hadn't whined so much then I wouldn't have died. You distracted me." Lex hopped off the couch and walked up behind her, getting tired of her ignoring him. "If you think ignoring me is gonna help you're wrong. I'll just keep talking until you lose."  
  
"Shut up Lex!" Paris was mad.  
  
Lex reached over and tugged hard on her braid, twice.  
  
"OW!" The little girl screamed. "What did you do that for, stupid?"  
  
"I want the controller back."  
  
"NO! It's my turn not yours."  
  
Just then Alfred walked in. "Excuse me but did I hear arguing coming from in here?" None of the children answered, the just looked at the floor not making eye contact with him. "That's what I thought. If I hear anymore arguing form this room I will put the game away and separate the three of you."  
  
"Yes sir." The three children muttered.  
  
"Very well." Alfred left the room.  
  
When they were sure he was gone Bruce spoke up. "Nice job Lex. Get us all in trouble why don't you."  
  
"Shut up Bruce. Mr. Goody two shoes, I don't do anything wrong."  
  
Paris stood up to yell at Lex. "Shut up and go to bed, you're being mean today." Paris said angered.  
  
"Why don't you go back to England. Or doesn't anyone there like you either."  
  
Bruce stayed out of this argument, he thought it best to let those two go at it by themselves. 'If someone starts swinging I'm not getting into trouble.' He thought to himself.  
  
"What are you talking about?" She asked.  
  
"I heard my mom and dad talking the other day. They said that you don't have any friends in New York, some people think you're going to have a breakdown, whatever that is. Big surprise, you're such a prissy princess."  
  
"No I'm not a prissy princess! What about you? Why did you get into that fight yesterday? I bet it's because you're mean and the other kids can beat you up because you have asthma, you can't even defend yourself."  
  
"Shut up! I hate you! I wish you never came here and that I never met you! No one really likes you, they're just nice to you because of your dad."  
  
Paris had tears in her eyes but she refused to cry in front of either boy. Her dad told her 'Never let your attacker see you cry. They'll just use it against you.' "I'm going to go read." She said quietly.  
  
"Go cry to your mommy, stupid baby."  
  
Paris turned and started to walk out of the room, clutching her Cabbage Patch Kid doll to her chest, she buried her face in it's hair.  
  
"Nice job Lex. You made her cry, your dad's going to be so mad at you. And if I get yelled at because of you I'm not going to be your friend anymore."  
  
Lex was startled at that. "Oh no you're right." He ran after Paris to see if he could apologize. He caught up with her just outside the playroom. He tapped her on the shoulder. "Paris."  
  
Just then the dam broke. Tears were streaming down Paris's face as she turned around and swung her Cabbage Patch Doll, head first, at Lex, hitting him square in the nose.  
  
"Ow!" The little boy cried clutching his nose. She pushed him hard and he fell onto his back. She sat on his chest and took another swing and hit him in the nose a second time, this time blood came pouring out of his nose and all over his face. He started to cry, clutching his nose. "Paris stop I'm sorry!" He tried to get her to stop but she wouldn't, she hit him another time before yelling at him in broken sobs.  
  
Crocodile tears were pouring out of her eyes, she could barely see Lex and he was right in front of her. "NNNNo yyyyyour'e nnnnooott."  
  
Bruce came out of the room when he heard crying. "Paris, Lex. I'm getting your moms!" With that Bruce went tearing down the hall in search of their parents.  
  
"I hhhheard you tttttalking. Yyyyou jjjjust. Just don't wwwwant to to to get in tttttttrouble."  
  
"Paris stop crying it'll be okay."  
  
"Nnnno it won't. I wwwant to go go go hommmme"  
  
Lex's chest started to tighten. "Paris get off, I can't breathe."  
  
"Liar!" She yelled.  
  
"Paris please." Lex reached into the pocket of his flannel pants to get his inhaler. He tried to push her off but he couldn't, so he tried to take a puff off his inhaler, luckily it worked.  
  
Just then all of their parents came running up to them. He was still bleeding profusely and Paris was crying harder and harder by the second. Yvonne swooped Paris up, off Lex and carried her. Lionel knelt down and helped Lex sit up.  
  
"Oh Lex, what happened?" He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and started to wipe the blood off his son's face.  
  
"I don't know, she just hit me."  
  
"Liar, you were being a jerk and you made her cry."  
  
"Well yeah but she didn't have to hit me."  
  
"Alexander what have your father and I told you about teasing other children."  
  
"I know mom."  
  
Lionel wiped his son's nose but Lex flinched. "Ow it hurts."  
  
"It hasn't stopped bleeding Lillian. I think it's broken. What did she hit you with?" Lionel helped his son to his feet.  
  
"Her stupid doll." He pointed an accusatory finger at her.  
  
"Okay. Let's get you to the hospital."  
  
"Alfred will drive you." Thomas said.  
  
"Thank you Thomas." The Luthors followed Thomas down the hall to find Alfred.  
  
"Malcolm I told you not to grab that doll."  
  
"She's 7 years old Yvonne, she doesn't need that Grover thing."  
  
Paris was still crying. "Yyyyesss I I I I do. I want tttttto go home." She buried her face in the crook of her mother's neck and started crying harder.  
  
"We're going home tomorrow baby." She rubbed circles on her daughter's back in hopes of calming her down.  
  
"Nnnnoooooooo. I wwwwwwant to go go go go back to England."  
  
"Oh. I see dear." She spoke soothingly as she shot her husband an angry glare.  
  
----Present day----  
  
Everyone in the kitchen was laughing.  
  
"You broke his nose with a Cabbage Patch Doll." Clark said, still laughing.  
  
Paris was wiping tears out of her eyes. "Yeah. It was bad. I was in anger management therapy for a year after that."  
  
Lex had to stop laughing to talk. "What about me? I had to tell the doctors that I was beat up by a 7 year old girl and her doll."  
  
"Well you deserved it."  
  
Chloe was still laughing hard. "I always thought Cabbage Patch Kids were ugly but I never thought they were lethal."  
  
"Well I guess you learn something new everyday." Lana spoke up.  
  
"He didn't look at me the entire next day until we left."  
  
"Well yeah, I was afraid of what other body parts you were going to go after next. Between the black eye and the broken nose you just had limbs left."  
  
"After that we had a rule, no Cabbage Patch Kid were allowed at holidays, ever, and no video games."  
  
"That lasted until we were 12 or 13."  
  
"Well yeah. After that they had a whole new crop of problems to worry about with us. You do remember the Christmas party when Chip Schrek puked all over the Mayor's wife."  
  
"Oh that's gross. What prompted that?" Chloe asked.  
  
"A bottle of champagne and a hundred dollar bet." Paris said flippantly.  
  
"I only bet him fifty."  
  
"Yeah but yours was fifty to drink it in under an hour. I bet him another a hundred if he could drink it in under half an hour."  
  
"Are you kidding? Too bad none of us knew about alcohol poisoning back then or we might have been in some serious trouble."  
  
Paris breathed a chuckle. "Like it would have mattered. Chip is pure evil, you can't kill that, it's kind of like matter. Can neither be created or destroyed, only change form."  
  
"You do know that every time one of you whips out some obscure educational fact it makes the rest of us look bad, right?" Clark asked half heartedly.  
  
"Well maybe if you paid half as much attention to your classes as you do to basketball you'll be able to do that too someday." Jonathan said jokingly.  
  
"Thanks dad."  
  
"Alright everyone, dinner is served." Martha announced. 


	5. Of Chucks and spaghetti straps

It has become quite apparent to me, and anyone with half a brain that meteor mutants take a break over the holidays, possibly to pursue their dreams of becoming Hollywood legends and getting walk on parts in Babylon 5 and Angel, so I won't be writing Paris into any FOTW episodes until I finish writing about the holidays. But she will come into contact with FOTWs later on. Besides how boring can the holidays be with drunk angry rich kids with parental issues?  
  
----December 6th 2002----  
  
Paris walked into Lex's office, unannounced, like she had done many times before. She was digging in her purse not paying attention to what was going on. It was Friday night so chances were he was alone. WRONG! "Hey Lex have you seen my cell phone?" She looked up, and was instantly mortified at what she walked in on.  
  
Lex and Helen were sitting, close together, in front of the fire place talking and sipping red wine. They looked over at her shocked.  
  
"I am so sorry." She covered her mouth in embarrassment.  
  
"Don't be." Lex said calmly.  
  
"I didn't know you had a-a date tonight. I'll go look for my phone somewhere else."  
  
"Helen I'd like you to meet Paris Stratford."  
  
"Hello Paris." Helen said coolly, not getting up, she looked Paris up and down, scrutinizing the young woman before her. Paris knew what she was doing and began to squirm a little under the intense scrutiny the older woman was placing on her.  
  
"And Paris, this is Dr. Helen Bryce. We met at the hospital. She's Mr. Kent's doctor."  
  
"Oh." She choked out. "Hello. Nice work with the leg, cast, thing. Yeah I'm going to let you two get back to, yeah, and I'm going to go look in other places, for my phone. Which is why I came in here." She stopped rambling and turned around and started walking out of the room.  
  
Lex stifled a chuckle at his friend's embarrassment. "I think it's in your car. You said you lost your reception in the cornfields yesterday and chucked it in the back." Lex called after her.  
  
"Thanks." She waved to him as she left.  
  
"Lex who was that?" Helen asked suspiciously.  
  
"Just Paris."  
  
"And why is Just Paris wandering around your house freely on a Friday night?"  
  
"Because she lives here."  
  
"Excuse me." Helen exclaimed shocked.  
  
"It's not what you think." Lex ducked his head and chuckled.  
  
"It's not what I think! You have an attractive twenty something actress running around your house and you bring me here for dinner and act completely blasé about the entire situation. What exactly am I supposed to think Lex?"  
  
"I am blasé about the situation because there is no situation. Contrary to what people may choose to say or believe about me I am not some kind of deviant, sexually or otherwise."  
  
"Well then why does she live here?" Helen asked suspiciously.  
  
"Because she has had a very rough year and she is moving here from L.A. and she wanted out, quick, so she's here until her house is finished. She has her own room on a different floor in a different wing of the castle if that makes you feel any better." Lex gave her the Luthor smirk.  
  
"A little." She lied. "But how do you know her?"  
  
"We grew up together."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"Well we dated a bit as teenagers but that's it."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"Good. Now let's get back to our evening."  
  
----Paris's closet----  
  
After finding her cell phone, in her car where Lex told her it'd be, Paris headed back to her room and barricaded herself in her closet with a beer. Due to her claustrophobia Paris would not be the person you'd find sitting in the bottom of a closet talking on he phone, but the walk in closets at chez Luthor were exceptionally large and well lit. After she found her phone, in the car where Lex said it was, the call she was intent on placing was lost, after the scene in the study she needed to call someone else.  
  
'Okay even I haven't seen a closet this big before, and that's saying a lot.' She thought to herself as she waited for the person she was calling to pick up. "Pick up dammit." After 7 rings someone finally answered.  
  
"Are you aware that it is 1:30 in the morning here?" A groggy British voice asked.  
  
"Yeah I'm sorry about that Albert but I can't help the time difference in the world. Just think if we were in Hawaii we'd be on the beach watching a sunset having half naked men bring us Mai-Tai's." She took a long drink of her beer.  
  
"Look Peanut I know you did not call me in the middle of the night to discuss the night life of Hawaiians, or exceptionally well built cabaña boys. So let's cut to the chase."  
  
"Fine." She lay down on the floor and propped her pink Converse clad feet up on the door. A frustrated sigh escaped her lips.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Why do you automatically think something's wrong? God you're such a cynic."  
  
"PARIS!" Albert yelled into the phone.  
  
She smiled at his frustration. "Fine, fine. I was looking for my phone and I walked into Lex's study." She stopped talking.  
  
"And what, he was naked swinging from the rafters like a chimpanzee? Cause if he is you should be all over that." Albert asked teasingly.  
  
She chuckled. "No. He was on a date."  
  
"Oh. How was it?"  
  
"What do you mean how was it? I wasn't part of the date, I just walked in on it."  
  
"No I mean awkwardness wise."  
  
"Oh. Remember the part of American pie where the dad walks in on the kid humping the pie?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'd kill to be that kid right now."  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"Yeah. She's a fucking doctor. They're sitting there in front of the fire place with the red wine, doing the romance thing. Lex is working his Lexness. She's wearing this black spaghetti strap dress, with her hair done up and her makeup perfect. And I come bouncing in wearing flared jeans, a baby tee that, I kid you not, says 'Too tired to FCUK' and my pink Chucks with my hair in a messy bun. I look like I wandered off Dawson's Creek and she looks like she just walked off the Loreal ad. And she just sat there studying me and I know she was thinking 'My god how did you get past security?'. And I squirmed, I actually squirmed, like a 12 year old getting called to the principals office. Fucking AHhhhh!"  
  
"I always told you that shopping that buying FCUK shirts was going to get you into trouble one day." He joked.  
  
"Fuck you." She answered dryly.  
  
"So are you upset that you disrupted Lex on a date or are you upset that Lex was on a date?"  
  
"Um, both?"  
  
"Paris."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm not your therapist but I believe this is called regression."  
  
"Bite me Freud. God why is this shit so complicated? Lex and I are friends, we've been friends since before Men were from Mars and Women were from Venus, we were friends when Madonna was a virgin and Michael Jackson was still black. We've broken the law together, he used to be my look out when I'd make you eat dirt when you pissed me off."  
  
"I still wake up with cold sweats and cotton mouth from that."  
  
"You know what I'm saying. Why am I wigging about my friend being on a date? I've seen Bruce with other women and not given a crap, well except that blonde one I didn't like her."  
  
"Yeah accept you never dated Bruce and you certainly never slept with Bruce."  
  
"Well there's that."  
  
"Aren't you the one who taught Lex to kiss?" Albert asked mischievously.  
  
She smiled at the memory. "Yeah, we were like 13, he was the first minor I corrupted. He was going through that awkward I'm thirteen and bald stage, the kids at school called him Powder. He'd never kissed a girl before, but after I taught him the boy was unstoppable."  
  
"You created a monster."  
  
"Don't I know it."  
  
"And you're pissed that the new girlfriend saw you when you weren't at your best. You know if you breezed in there wearing a Dolce and Gabanna, specially designed for you form fitting suit that you wear to intimidate studio types and a pair of fuck you heels you'd be sitting here gloating about how you made Lex's flavor of the week look like a cow."  
  
"Maybe. So what am I mad that I saw Lex on a date or am I mad that the date saw me not looking good?"  
  
"Little bit of column A little bit of column B."  
  
"Alright, god this is so much easier than therapy. Maybe I just needed to vent, I did make a proper ass out of myself. Did I mention that I rambled?"  
  
"You, steadfast headstrong no holds bars balls to the walls Paris got nervous and rambled? That's bloody brilliant. I'd fucking pay to see that." He laughed at his cousin's folly.  
  
"Hey Albie?"  
  
"What peanut?"  
  
"You're lucky that there is half a continent and the entire Atlantic Ocean between us buddy. Anyway do you really think she's just the flavor of the week?"  
  
"Probably. Don't worry Paris you'll get another shot at him."  
  
"Why Albert whatever are you implying?"  
  
"I can see right through you."  
  
"Yeah well if that day ever does come enjoy your snowball fight with Hitler and Napoleon."  
  
Albert chuckled. "Hey what are we doing for Christmas this year?"  
  
"Well seeing as how I'm banned from your parent's house indefinitely, due to that little skirmish last year."  
  
"I don't care what my mother says, that was classic. Paris vs. Elizabeth, it was like a fucking celebrity death match."  
  
"What can I say, drunken, dysfunctional family gatherings are a crowd pleaser. Unless it happens in your house. Ah your sister's a bitch and your mom has something up her ass anyway."  
  
"Seriously what are we doing?"  
  
"We were invited to go to the beach house in Fiji with Grandpere."  
  
"Fiji huh? With Gustave?"  
  
"Come on, surfing, sand, private beach complete with cabana boys." She sung the cabana boys part. "Grandpere will probably spend half the trip chasing his *lady friend* around."  
  
"He is a randy old goat isn't he."  
  
"He's still my grandfather, let's watch the language. Not to mention the scarring images that are now permanently ingrained in my head."  
  
"Well you've twisted my arm luv, Fiji it is."  
  
"Will Brian be joining us?" She smiled luridly at the thought of her cousin's boyfriend.  
  
"Probably not, his presence is mandatory at family functions although they don't approve of his lifestyle so I am not welcome. We'll see him for New Years though."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"When do you leave to do the promos and junket for the finale?"  
  
"I leave tomorrow afternoon, come back Thursday night. Then I leave for France the 19th, come back the 21st then leave for Fiji on the 23rd."  
  
"See, by the time the month is over they'll be broken up you won't even have had to see her that much."  
  
"I guess, but I still don't like her."  
  
"Luv I'd hate to cut this call short but the telephone woke Brian up and he's torturing me."  
  
"Alright. What's the world coming to when my gay British cousin is getting more action than me?" She asked chuckling.  
  
"Hey ducks we're here we're queer get used to it." He retorted teasingly.  
  
"I am used to it, I embrace it, I love you for it, I've marched with you for it, I'm just commenting on the irony. Night Albie."  
  
"Night Pairs."  
  
----The Conan O'Brien show four days later----  
  
"Alright you all know our next guest from the popular WB series Byrds of Paradise. She plays Meagan Byrd. Please give a warm welcome to Paris Stratford." Audience claps and cheers for her.  
  
Paris walks out on stage and meets Conan and sits. Audience is still cheering and clapping.  
  
"Alright you heathen's let the lady talk."  
  
"You're hot." Someone screamed.  
  
Paris laughs. "Thank you whoever that was."  
  
"Well now that we have that cleared up. For all who have just tuned in or have been living under a rock for the last four years Paris is in fact hot."  
  
"Thank you Conan."  
  
"Alright now your show, Byrds of Paradise is having it's series finale this week."  
  
"Yes it is. We've had a great run but it's time to move on."  
  
"Speaking of moving on you've moved."  
  
"Yes I did."  
  
"Now, this may strike some people as funny but Paris where did you move to?" Conan asked mischievously.  
  
"I get the feeling that I'm about to be mocked in a moment. But yes I have left Los Angeles and am having a house built in Kansas."  
  
"Kansas. Who would have thought a city girl would move out to the country. Gone to any ho'downs?"  
  
"No it's not like that. I'm only about an hour away from Metropolis."  
  
"I'm still trying to understand this. You are from New York city. You moved to L.A. and now Kansas. It's hard to fathom."  
  
"But I didn't spend that much time in L.A. anyway. When we weren't taping I was usually on location somewhere. Now that I'm not taping there anymore it doesn't really matter."  
  
"But they have cows there." He aid exasperated  
  
She chuckled. "Yes they do have cows, and if I come across one in the road I'll drive around it but it's not like I moved to Amish country. It's a very nice, quiet town."  
  
"But your house isn't finished yet am I right?"  
  
"Yes you are correct about that."  
  
"So where may I ask are you living?"  
  
"No you may not ask that." She answered smiling.  
  
"Ooh I smell a challenge. Stratford thinks she can out do the Conan. So Paris who are you living with, in sin?"  
  
"We are not living in sin. And again you aren't getting any answers from me."  
  
"Fine, fine. She's no fun folks. Here's an interesting story I heard. Did you get arrested for smoking in Amsterdam?"  
  
She laughed at Conan. "NO we did not get arrested for smoking in Amsterdam, came close but no. The hotel did call the cops though."  
  
"But it's Amsterdam I mean did you burn down the hotel or something."  
  
"No nothing like that. A group us were there doing the junket and promo for Formula 51."  
  
Audience cheers.  
  
"I see when you're doing a drug movie you make a special stop in Amsterdam. It all makes sense."  
  
Paris nods and laughs. "Exactly. Right now my publicist is shaking her head saying 'No don't follow him down the rabbit hole.' Anyway we're in Amsterdam and we somehow met up with Denis Leary and Dave Attel."  
  
Conan laughs. "Oh this story just got ten times better."  
  
"I know. So we met up with those two and after the junket and the press core left we were all sitting around in the conference room. There had to be like 10 or 15 people just having a few drinks relaxing. And the hotel manager comes knocking on the door. So we let him in. And a handful of us were smoking and I don't even smoke most of the time but you know it goes with the drinking. Anyway he comes in and very sternly tells us that we can't smoke in the hotel. And Sam Jackson points out that there were ashtrays in the room when we got there. And the manager says although they provide the ashtrays but you must request permission to use them."  
  
"What?" Conan asked laughing.  
  
"Exactly it's absurd. Dave and Dennis were just sitting there doing a slow burn waiting to unload on this guy. And I was thinking, okay they let Ashton Kutcher out of the country we're being punked this is nuts. So I decided that this was crap and I had to say something so I said 'you mean to tell me that in Amsterdam the city that is best known for the phrase smoke it if you can roll it you need to ask permission to smoke a cigarette."  
  
More ruckus cheering from the audience. "Yeah Amsterdam. Woohoo!"  
  
Conan laughing. "Well what'd he say?"  
  
"He looked at me very seriously and said 'miss we do not endorse that phrase.' Even though you can buy a bumper sticker with that exact phrase in their gift shop."  
  
More laughter.  
  
"Oh my god, that's terrible, so where do the cops come in?"  
  
"Okay. So Dennis is sitting there fuming and as everyone knows Dennis is not the epitome of diplomacy and tact."  
  
"No definitely not. Dennis is the exact opposite of that. Dennis is the love child of George Carlin and Roseanne, his temperament is that bad."  
  
Paris laughing. "Exactly. So Dennis stands up and blows smoke right in the guys face, I'm sitting there going 'oh shit Dennis stop I don't want to go to jail tonight.' Dave leans over and says 'oh don't worry sweetie you won't make it past booking with that ass.'"  
  
Laughter.  
  
"That must have been comforting."  
  
"Right, Dave is not the person you want to get arrested with, he would have too much fun in jail. So we're sitting there waiting for Dennis to hit the guy and he says 'you mean to tell me that I can go out and legally buy a prostitute and weed in the same store, come back here screw her on that table and smoke up, but I can't smoke a damn cigarette.'"  
  
"Oh my god." Conan laughing.  
  
"I know. So Dave stands up and says damn I need a cigarette just listening to that and lights up. So the guy calls the cops and tells them the story. Thank God for lawyers. Instead of arresting the lot of us we had to pay a fine, $3,000 per cigarette."  
  
"Well how much was the fine?"  
  
"$90,000."  
  
Conan laughs. "Are you serious?"  
  
"Honest, they counted every butt in the ashtrays, and like I'll have one or two max but Dave and Dennis smoke like a pack at a time each. It got so bad, because everyone didn't want to pay for what they didn't smoke we had to divide them into piles by brand and person. So while I paid $6,000 Dennis paid $30,000."  
  
"Dear lord that's a lot of money. So did anyone ever explain the point of the law?"  
  
"Apparently in the Netherlands each establishment sets it's own rules of conduct about smoking, and we just didn't know that about our hotel."  
  
"That is so weird. Alright Paris it is always a pleasure, Thursday night the WB, Byrds of Paradise watch it."  
  
A/N: I know this chapter didn't do much but I just wanted a silly Paris centered chapter. The next one is good though. 


	6. Vera Wang vs The Man

I AM SORRY DEAR READERS!!!! I somehow erased 'Vera Wang vs. the Man' and I didn't realize it until now.  
  
For anyone who didn't get to read the chapter when it was up here's a quick re-cap.  
  
There's a Christmas party at stately Luthor manor Lex takes Paris as his date. Their good friend Bruce Wayne is there, yes Paris and Lex know he's Batman, they joke haha. Victoria Hardwick, The Schreks, Lionel and Malcolm Stratford are there. Paris gives Chloe and Clark a cliffs notes version of the upper class. Paris and Malcolm get into an argument at dinner, Paris leaves followed by Bruce. They get drunk, Lex meets up with them later and they get even more smashed. They come inside because it's winter and they've been drinking, for geniuses they don't think sometimes. Paris and her father finish their argument, she pukes on him. Bruce tucks her into bed, she has self doubt as to her level of lovability, Bruce tells her that she's loveable and both he and Lex feel that way.  
  
That chapter took me a month to write so I have to finish a few more chapters before I fix it for real. 


	7. Charlie Brown We're Not Part 1

Quick AN: Dates are used briefly in this chapter, and in order to dispel and confusion Paris was born in November 1979, making her 15 in December 1994. Lex was born May 1980. So they all could be part of the same grade just king Paris in that weird borthday category.  
  
On with the show!  
  
Paris sat chin in hand staring blankly out of the cabin window. When she was a child the mere thought of this act would have scared her into tears but as she grew older her fear of flying melted into distaste, although she still avoided it as much as possible. Now looking out the window of the empty cabin allowed her time to reflect and sort out various feelings and thoughts.  
  
The day after the party Bruce and Lex delighted in teasing her about her about puking on her father, part of her wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the entire thing and part wanted to cry about the harsh words that had been spoken and the weight and truth behind them.  
  
Then Helen came over which did nothing but compound her crappy mood. She had a leery feeling about Helen and Helen had no qualms about making Paris feel unwelcome in the house, she veiled these feelings in woman code so they would fly right over Lex and Bruce's heads but Paris caught the message loud and clear, 'Stay away from my boyfriend or I will destroy you!'  
  
She and Bruce retreated to the garden to find her shoes before he left. It took them over an hour and climbing a tree to find both shoes, apparently at one point in their drunken evening they decided to find out how aerodynamic Manolo Blahniks actually were. Judging from the branch it landed on, not very thankfully.  
  
After Bruce left Paris felt uncomfortable being in the house alone with the happy couple so she decided to go apologize to the Kents and Sullivans about the night before and the scene they witnessed at the dinner table and then having to see them drunk later on. Chloe and Clark both just shrugged it off, chalking it up to adult stress. Gabe told her that although he revered his bosses that he was impressed with the way she took on both Lionel and her father, he had never heard anyone tell a Luthor off and not pay dearly for it. Martha did the mom thing and told her that she understood and if she ever needed someone to talk to about these things, someone who wouldn't psychoanalyze her, that she could always come to her and then she offered her a piece of pie.  
  
Paris was initially taken aback by Martha's gesture, especially since for all intensive purposes she was a stranger to her world, and then she felt comforted by the motherly attitude that Martha exuded toward her. She now knew why Lex was so drawn to her. Besides her close resemblance to Lillian she was as nurturing and loving as their mothers had been. Upon sitting down and talking, really talking, woman to woman to Martha Paris realized that her knowledge and ability to relate and comfort extended beyond the normal motherly understanding of what someone was 'going through'. She had a feeling that Martha was regarded as a bit of an outcast in her own family, especially due to her extensive knowledge of Metropolis and many facets of corporate life, yet she was a farmers wife in Smallville. Paris decided to not breech the subject.  
  
On her way home from the Kent's Paris had to fight to see straight because of the tears that were welling in her eyes, she had not felt motherly love for so long that the emotion was almost too overwhelming for her.  
  
When she finally got home she barricaded herself in her office for a few hours, to tie up some loose ends before she left for the holidays. 'Yeah right tie up loose ends, it had nothing at all to do with Lex and Helen,' She thought bitterly to herself. Then she went to her room and watched television for the rest of the night.  
  
The next day she boarded a plane for France. She didn't even tell Lex that she was leaving for fear that wherever he was Helen was sure to be in toe, he knew where she was if he needed her. Her grandfather's private jet picked her up at five o'clock in the morning, and it was where she spent the rest of her morning, alone.  
  
"Ms. Stratford." A hand on her shoulder and a soft voice in her ear snapped Paris out of her thoughts.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Ms. Stratford we will be landing in the next five minutes, if you would please put your seatbelt back on."  
  
"Very well." Paris studied the two pieces of seatbelt in her hand. 'I still don't understand the reasoning behind seatbelts in these things. Even during turbulence I've never felt the need to be strapped in. You're sitting down in a giant Pringles can for god sakes. Cars it makes sense, keeps you from going face first into the windshield. It definitely wouldn't help in the event of an in air collision.' She shook her head and began thinking in a sarcastic inner voice, filled with fake cheer. 'Well I'm in flaming wreckage, plummeting thousands of feet to my death, but I'm strapped in so it's okay maybe I can float on what's left of my seat in case I land in the water and don't die on impact. Then I can die of dehydration and exposure.' Paris laughed at the ridiculousness of the notion, back to the cynical inner voice. 'Yeah that's if I wasn't killed on the impact when the 747 ripped through. No, no if my plane gets ripped apart I'm freefalling all the way down baby, I'm going out in a blaze of glory, not strapped to a piece of furniture.' She smiled wryly at the macabre thought. 'Oh I'm a fucking loon.' She settled back in her seat and prepared to land.  
  
----The DuPris manor----  
  
The historic DuPris estate put Bruce and Lex's houses to shame. It had been in Paris's family for 6 generations, historians wrote books about it and the goings on there over the last 400 years. The Large main house, two guest houses, servants quarters off the south garden, a large formal courtyard and 3 large outdoor gardens sat atop the property that overlooked an orchard, complete with the DuPris family winery, private woods containing a lake and a stable, on the far west side of the property was the family's private cemetery. Altogether it was about 10 square miles.  
  
Paris walked in and smiled broadly, it felt good to be home.  
  
Jessica, her grandfather's maid rushed up to her and hugged her.  
  
_"Oh Paris. Vous me permettre de regarde." _She held the younger woman at arms length. _"Oh mon, vous paraissez grand. Si beaucoup de comme votre mère."_  
  
(Translation):"Oh Paris. Let me look at you. Oh my, you look great. So much like your mother."  
  
Paris smiled at the elder woman.  
  
_"Merci Jessica. Comment avez-vous été?"  
_  
(Translation): "Thank you Jessica. How are you?"  
  
_"Bien, Bien. Et vous?"_  
  
(Translation): "Good, good. And you?"  
  
_"Je suis bien."_  
  
(Translation): "I'm good."  
  
_"Bon, parce que nous nous se soucions de vous êtes jusqu'ici loin. Mais votre grand-père garde nous a mis à jour."_  
  
(Translation): "Good, because we worry about you being so far away. But your grandfather keeps us updated."  
  
"_Où le grand-père est de toute façon?"_  
  
(Translation): "Where is grandfather anyway?"  
  
_"Dans son bureau. Cet homme toujours travaille."_ Jessica shook her head and let out an exasperated sigh.  
  
(Translation): "In his office. That man is always working."  
  
Paris chuckled._ "Oh Jessica c'est l'histoire de ma vie. Je vais aller l'ennui lui."  
_  
(Translation): "Oh Jessica it's the story of my life. I'm going to go bother him."  
  
Jessica shook her head and laughed. _"Bien, vous vous amusez cher."_  
  
(Translation): "Alright, you have fun dear."  
  
_"Bien, je vous verrai Jessica ultérieur."_  
  
(Translation): "Alright, I'll see you later Jessica."  
  
Paris bid Jessica a good evening and took off down the hall towards the wing her grandfather's office was in. She didn't even need to think about where she was going, she could walk the corridors of the old mansion on her hands backward and blindfolded. She'd spent most of her childhood running full speed through the halls chasing and being chased and as she got older doing back flips and Pirouettes. Paris smiled at the memory of her happy youth and innocence, no matter how fleeting or long ago it was. Paris wound up outside her grandfather's office in a matter of minutes she knocked before entering.  
  
_"Vous pouvez entrer."_ Came from the other side.  
  
(Translation): "You may enter."  
  
Paris walked in. "Well I should hope so." She said in a teasing voice.  
  
Gustave looked up from his work. "Oh my Paris. When did you get in?"  
  
"Just a little while ago." She plopped herself in one of the overstuffed leather chairs in front of his desk.  
  
"Are you tired my dear?"  
  
"A little bit."  
  
"How was the flight?"  
  
"Long. How are things here?"  
  
"Quiet mostly. How was the party?" He smirked at her.  
  
"Oh you know don't you?" She covered her face in embarrassment.  
  
Gustave chuckled.  
  
"Who told you?"  
  
"I promised I wouldn't say."  
  
"Grand-pere."  
  
"Fine, Alexander told me."  
  
"When did you talk to Lex? And remind me to do great bodily harm to him when I get back."  
  
Gustave smiled and shook his head in amusement. "Don't hurt the boy, because I know you can. He called to tell you that your BMW arrived today and that it is in the garage waiting for you. I asked him how the party was and he told me."  
  
"Oh it was quite the affair." She said in a light hearted tone.  
  
"You threw up on your father." He said pointedly.  
  
"Not voluntarily." She countered.  
  
"Paris, I thought you stopped those kinds of things." His voice was sincere and concerned.  
  
"I know. Look it was just a bad overall evening, Victoria was there and you know I hate her, and dad was there and he started in on me and we were sitting with these people who are really nice but barely know me and you know how dad is. We started arguing at dinner and I snapped. And since when is drinking a capitol offence in this family, am I wrong or do we not own a chateau?"  
  
"No Paris you are correct and drinking is fine, in moderation, but drinking to excess is never in good taste."  
  
"Yeah well it doesn't taste too good coming back up either." She smiled slyly.  
  
He let out a low chuckle and shook his head. "I do enjoy your logic."  
  
"So have you talked to dad?"  
  
"That's why I asked Alexander how the party was."  
  
"I don't follow."  
  
"Your father cancelled on us for tomorrow."  
  
Paris looked down briefly. "Yeah, we got into it pretty bad before I showed everyone my dinner."  
  
"How bad?"  
  
"I believe the subject of disownment came up."  
  
Gustave shook his head in anger at his son in law. "It's late are you hungry?"  
  
"No I ate earlier. I think I'll just turn in for the night. Are you going to sleep?"  
  
"I have a few calls to finish up and some reports to look over."  
  
"It's almost ten o'clock I don't want you working so late. I mean it mister, I bed by ten thirty." She teased.  
  
"When did you become the adult in the family?"  
  
"Since I'm apparently the last one with a modicum of sense about her."  
  
He put his hands up in surrender. "Alright. I will leave these reports until tomorrow evening." He smiled at her, grateful to have a grand daughter like her.  
  
"Night grandpere." She got up and gave him a kiss on the cheek before walking out.  
  
"Good night dear. I'll see you in the morning."  
  
"Not before 9:00."  
  
"Would I ever be so cruel?"  
  
"No."  
  
"And why is that?"  
  
"Because I'm your favorite."  
  
"Very good dear."  
  
----The next day----  
  
Paris knelt in front of her mother's headstone. She placed the bouquet of white roses in the vase. She traced the words gently.  
  
Yvonne Sarah DuPris-Stratford  
  
April 18, 1957 – December 20, 1994  
  
Loving wife and mother.  
  
"You are gone from us but your spirit lives on within us all."  
  
Paris sat down Indian style with her elbows on her knees. She spoke softly. "Hi mum. It's been awhile, that's my fault. It's been a really long, bizarre, shitty year and I just let everything get crazy. I'll tell you about it. I did voice work for Disney, that was actually pretty cool. My production company has done 3 movies and we put a bid in on a fourth. I won my first Oscar but you knew that, again that was cool. I moved to Kansas and I'm living with Lex, it's nice there and he's doing pretty well, seems a bit lonely though. He works with Lionel but he has his own company under Luthor Corp., I know that's the last thing we all thought he would ever do but Lex fucked up big time in Metropolis, blood loss was involved, anyway Lionel got pissed at him last year and made Lex into the business instead of Med. School. Like that was a shock. We pissed Lionel off which was fun and profitable. Gran's doing well, she's still nutty as a fruitcake but we love her, and they don't let her use live ammunition when she hunts anymore which we are all grateful for. Albert and I are going to Fiji with grandpere for the next 2 weeks." She took a few deep breaths before starting the next part. "Now onto the bad things. Well I got into a fight with Elizabeth last Christmas, things were thrown, hair was pulled fingers were broken stitches were gotten, so now I'm banned from aunt Jane and Uncle Ben's place until further notice. My show is over, which is good and bad. I left my fiancée because he was a jerk and I know that if you were still here I never would have gone out with him. I'm fighting with dad again, we got into a fight at a Christmas Party at the Luthor's house, it was bad. Words were said, alcohol was consumed, threats and accusations were made and I threw up. Lex has a girlfriend and she hates me and takes every opportunity to come by the house and make sure I'm not sleeping with him. Ablert was sure she was just some flavor of the week but he was wrong." She started crying. "Mum I'm so confused and angry and I keep fucking things up. I don't know what to do and I don't know what I'm doing or where I'm going and I need you."  
  
----The next day----  
  
Paris left Gustave's the next day and flew to England to get her cousin Albert so they could spend a few days in Kansas before Fiji.  
  
Albert Stratford was tall, lean, with sandy blonde hair and cerulean blue eyes.  
  
Albert stepped out of the limo and was shocked at what he saw. "Dear god Paris, when I heard Luthor lived in a castle I thought it was exaggerated. But he actually lives in a bloody castle."  
  
Paris came next to him. "No it's a real castle. Complete with drafts and weird noises. Lionel had it brought over here from Scotland brick by brick. It is pretty cool though."  
  
Albert looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Brick by brick? The man is certifiable."  
  
"I believe the proper terminology is eccentric."  
  
They made their way into the house.  
  
"Show me where it happened." Albert said gleefully.  
  
"Where what happened?"  
  
"You know the scene of the awkward moment."  
  
She looked at him with a smirk. "You actually want to see where I wrecked Lex's mojo? You're bent."  
  
"I know I'm a gossip whore now show me." He grabbed her by the hand and dragged her toward one of the hallways.  
  
"Well if we keep going this way the only thing you're going to see is the garage. Come on." She led him the other way.  
  
They made their way through the house until they stopped in front of Lex's office. Paris knocked before entering. "Lex?" She called through the door.  
  
"Oh Christ Peanut." Albert pushed past her and opened the doors.  
  
"You do know that going in there without Lex's knowing is a punishable offence." She said not kidding.  
  
"Yeah, yeah he'll get over it when he sees that it was his favorite old chum. So this is Lex's office." He walked around in the large room.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"It gives the aura of sex and capitalism. That's Lex to a T."  
  
"I'm sure he'll be pleased to know that." She said dryly.  
  
"Well look at the juxtaposition of the furniture. I mean come on. Black leather couches, and a glass top desk. If that doesn't scream money and orgasms I don't know what does."  
  
She shook her head in amusement. "Can we please get out of here? You know how Lex is about his privacy."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"I'll show you the rest of the house and then we can get some coffee."  
  
"You mean to tell me that Podunk has a Starbucks."  
  
"No we have a Talon."  
  
"I can't believe that you moved here." He said sarcastically.  
  
"Shut up." She retorted.  
  
----The Talon----  
  
Paris and Albert walked into the Talon and walked up to the counter  
  
"Hey Lana." Paris greeted.  
  
"Hey Paris. Who's this, new boyfriend?" Lana asked jokingly.  
  
"Dear god we may be British but we're not royalty." Albert said sarcastically.  
  
"I'm sorry Lana, this cynical snob is my cousin Albert Stratford. Albert this is Lana Lang, she is co-owner of the Talon with Lex."  
  
"Hello Ms. Lang. Nice to meet you." Albert took Lana's hand and kissed the top.  
  
"Oh, hello. Nice to meet you Mr. Stratford."  
  
Albert smiled and shook his head. "Please call me Albert. Mr. Stratford is my father."  
  
"Right, Albert. So what can I get you two to drink?"  
  
"Two coffees please." Paris ordered for them.  
  
"Alright, well have a seat and I'll bring them over."  
  
"Thanks Lana."  
  
"Thank you, Ms. Lang." Albert said.  
  
"Please call me Lana.  
  
"Alright, thank you Lana."  
  
Paris and Albert walked over to a table near the back and sat down.  
  
"Why are we sitting here? I mean this can seat 5."  
  
"Because school let out an hour ago and in about 5 minutes we'll have company."  
  
"And you're okay with that? Miss. I Need My Privacy."  
  
"I like these kids don't worry. Oh and please stop flirting with the local girls."  
  
"I'm not flirting I'm being polite."  
  
"Whatever I just don't want to have to nurse any broken hearts when the girls find out they're not your type." She teased.  
  
"And what type would that be?" He retorted.  
  
"Male." She dead panned.  
  
"Yeah well."  
  
Lana walked up with their coffees. "Here you go."  
  
"Thanks Lana." Paris said.  
  
Lana walked back to the counter.  
  
Chloe and Clark walked in and spotted Paris immediately.  
  
"Hey guys. Have a seat." Paris said cheerfully as the two teens came over to her table. "Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent this is my cousin Albert Stratford." Paris's eyes gleamed with mischief as she introduced her cousin.  
  
"You're Albert Stratford. The Albert Stratford." Chloe was in shock.  
  
"Yes I am." Albert smiled and nodded once.  
  
"I never put 2 and 2 together." Chloe said in disbelief. "I saw your film, the one from The Cannes film festival."  
  
"Thank you. Please will you two have a seat." Albert gestured to the two teens to sit down.  
  
"I have so many questions to ask you."  
  
"Chloe he just got here and he's Paris's cousin. Be good." Clark teased his friend.  
  
Albert noticed the Torch in Chloe's hand. "Are you a reporter Chloe?"  
  
"Yep. This is the Christmas issue of the Torch. It's just the high school newspaper, but I applied for an internship at the Daily Planet." She put a paper on the table.  
  
"Her 'Eat Crow' column this issue is about the over commercialization of Christmas." Clark added.  
  
"Well it's true, the commercials, and the specials do nothing but set the holiday up for failure." Chloe defended her column.  
  
"Yeah, but Chloe it's a fun holiday. Not to mention decorating the tree, and the snow."  
  
"Clark have you looked outside recently?" Chloe gestured toward the windows. "It's December 22nd, that's three days till the most over hyped holiday of the year and there's not a flake on the ground."  
  
"Yeah, but there's supposed to be a storm this week."  
  
"I agree with Chloe, the hype takes away from the holiday. It should just be a nice day spent with family." Albert added.  
  
"So what are you all doing for Christmas?" Clark asked.  
  
"We're meeting my grandfather in Fiji and spending Christmas on the beach surfing and getting a tan."  
  
"But doesn't that take away from the holiday?"  
  
"No. Christmas doesn't have to spent cooped up inside with your family because it's too cold outside to escape them. No thank you. Besides December 25th isn't even the actual birthday of Christ. Scientists have proven that he was more than likely born in the early summer. No one knows why the Christians chose December 25th as the holiday. Historians think it's because all religions out of the east around Greece and Rome borrowed heavily from each other. The Mithariasm religion declared December 25th to be it's holiest day and it was a very popular religion in the early Roman Empire. And since Christianity borrows from almost every major religion since the early Sumerians it's likely that they chose that day based on the popularity of the religion. Especially since Christianity started a mere 300 years later."  
  
Clark looked dismayed at Paris's dislike of his favorite holiday.  
  
"I agree, if I hear the Chipmunks sing that stupid Christmas song one more time I'm going to deck the next Santa I see."  
  
"Damn Chloe, that's harsh."  
  
"Am I wrong or did I just hear the Paris Stratford 'I hate Christmas' speech?" Lex asked playfully as he walked up to the table.  
  
"No that was it in all it's glory. You do really need to lighten up Peanut. It is Christmas after all."  
  
"Albert how are you?"  
  
"I'm fine Lex. And yourself?"  
  
"No worse for the wear." Albert got up and embraced his long time friend before they sat down.  
  
"Peanut? That's new." Chloe said.  
  
Lex chuckled at the use of Paris's hated nick name.  
  
"It's a horrible childhood nickname born out of a deadly food allergy. And these two assholes think it's a riot." Chloe and Clark chuckled at her.  
  
"Peanut allergy." Chloe surmised.  
  
"It's not that bad Paris. You're such a bloody dramatic."  
  
"My throat closes and I swell like a blowfish. It's called anaphylactic shock. I call at deadly."  
  
"I'd have to agree with her on that one." Clark agreed.  
  
"How come you never said anything about it before?" Chloe asked.  
  
"When you're me it's not something you make public domain. I'm just careful about what I eat, and I always have an epi pen on me and a medic alert tag of sorts when I'm out." She pulled out her medic alert chain from inside her sweater.  
  
Lex was perusing the Torch and spoke up. "Favorite Christmas movies, by Clark Kent."  
  
Clark turned beet red. "Yeah I was tardy on my last two articles so Chloe made me do the student poll."  
  
"So what's your favorite Christmas movie? Or does Lex Luthor not believe in such trivialities?" Chloe teased.  
  
"No Chloe, unfortunately even I am not impervious to holiday cheer. I've always enjoyed Holiday Inn. You?"  
  
"I'm an old fashioned Charlie brown Christmas girl." Chloe declared.  
  
"I like A Christmas Story." Clark said.  
  
"I never could make it all the way through that Charlie Brown one." Paris said.  
  
"It's like 45 minutes."  
  
"No, I know that. I just feel so bad for Charlie Brown because they're so mean to him and he tries so hard. And don't even get me started on that Lucy bitch. I can't watch past the first 15 minutes before I get into a shouting match with the TV."  
  
"And that children is what happens when you drink before noon." Albert said jokingly.  
  
"Oh shut up. And this is what happens when you drink before noon." She lifted her chin and pointed to a hidden, barely there, scar.  
  
"How'd you do that?" Clark asked.  
  
"We were like 16 and drinking one morning during Christmas break and decided to go snowmobiling. One minute I'm riding along, the next I'm landing on a giant chunk of ice and bleeding everywhere, besides it was you who crashed into me."  
  
"Dare I ask what you two like to watch?" Chloe asked.  
  
"I've always enjoyed Miracle on 34th Street and Scrooged." Albert said.  
  
"Diehard." Paris said offhandedly. Everyone looked at her like she was nuts. "What it's a Christmas movie. Fine, fine the Poseidon Adventure." She said with a wry smile.  
  
"You, cousin have absolutely no Christmas spirit."  
  
"Shut up. Alright I do like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation."  
  
A man in a black trench coat walked up to the table. "Excuse me are you Paris Stratford?"  
  
"I'm sorry all interviews need to go through my publicist."  
  
"No Miss. Stratford I'm not a reporter." He reached into his pocket and retrieved some folded papers and handed them to Paris. "You have been served. Happy Holidays."  
  
Paris looked up from the papers stunned. "Yeah right." She said numbly.  
  
"Who is it from?" Lex asked.  
  
"My ex. He's suing me for $15 million."  
  
"On what grounds?" Albert asked.  
  
"I don't know I'm only one page in." Her phone rang before she could say anything else. "Hello." She said curtly.  
  
"Hello sweet cheeks." A deep male voice said.  
  
"What do you want? And don't call me that."  
  
"Enjoying your present?"  
  
She got up and started looking around her shocking all the table's occupants in the process, luckily the Talon had few customers . "Where are you? You know you're not allowed within one mile of me."  
  
"No, I wouldn't dare violate your little restraining order. Just calling to say happy holidays."  
  
"Go to hell."  
  
"Don't be so defensive, Paris. Just give me what I want and you'll never hear from me again."  
  
"I already gave you the ring back." She sniped.  
  
"You threw it at my head."  
  
"You still have it and you know you'll never get anything from me. I have more money than God and more lawyers than OJ. I will bury you in paperwork and then when you're at your weakest and most vulnerable I will take everything you have. And I will burn it and do a happy dance on the ashes."  
  
"I won't make this easy on you Paris."  
  
"I'll fight back harder than you ever thought possible. How'd you find me anyway?"  
  
"I Googled you. Imagine how surprised I was when The Torch came up with an article about Smallville's newest resident."  
  
Paris scowled in anger and resentment. "Using the internet to stalk your ex, isn't that a little beneath you? Well now that I think about not much is beneath you, you're the lowest there is." He voice was laced with anger and sarcasm.  
  
"Speaking of beneath, you fucking baldy? I mean that is where you are right, you ran back to the hairless wonder."  
  
"Leave him out of this. But if I was it'd be a welcome change from you. Tell me, has your secretary realized how badly you suck in bed yet?" She said with a smirk.  
  
"Goodbye Paris."  
  
"Go to hell." Paris closed her phone and sat back down.  
  
"Was that who I think it was?" Albert asked.  
  
"Yes." Paris folded her arms and dropped her head on them."  
  
"How'd he find you?"  
  
"Google. The Torch on-line came up."  
  
"I'm sorry. I never should have asked you to do that interview." Chloe said sadly.  
  
"No Chloe it's not your fault. He wanted to punish me for leaving him, he would have found me either way. I'm sorry I have to get home. Lex can you take Albert back?"  
  
"No problem."  
  
"Thanks." She grabbed her stuff and ran out of the coffee house.  
  
----Paris's office later that night----  
  
Paris was sitting at her desk on the phone with her lawyer. "Yes Jerry I am quite aware of the upcoming holidays but **I AM BEING SUED!** I expect you to actually earn the obscene amount of money I pay to keep you on retainer. Fine we'll file an injunction after the first. Bye." She slammed the handset back into the cradle. Sitting in her chair she grabbed her red Nalgene water bottle and took a sip.  
  
"You know there are easier ways to deal with this problem." Lionel said from the doorway.  
  
She looked over the top of her bottle and sighed. "Hi Lionel, do come in. My day couldn't get any worse."  
  
"Your warmth touches me." Lionel said as he sat down in one of the chairs in front of her desk.  
  
"Excuse me if I seem less than thrilled to see anyone right now."  
  
"I see Lex has set you up with proper accommodations."  
  
She closed the bottle and started to swirl the water around inside creating a tornado, looking disinterested in conversation. She pursed her lips together, in a slight pout. "Um hm. Lionel I know you aren't one for small talk so what's up?"  
  
Lionel made himself more comfortable, he crossed his legs and rested his arms on the armrests. "Well I inquired as to why you weren't at dinner tonight and your cousin filled me in on the details of this afternoon's little legal dispute."  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
"8:00."  
  
"Wow I lost track of time. My little legal dispute is nothing more than my ex being a vindictive **ASS**. Thanks for your concern though."  
  
"Like I said before there is an easy way to settle this." He gave her a knowing smirk.  
  
"And what would that be?" She asked raising an eyebrow in inquiry.  
  
"How do you New Yorkers say it? Oh yes, have the prick whacked."  
  
Paris chuckled, losing the seriousness in her face. "Thank you that did brighten up my day. But you really do need to lay off the Sopranos."  
  
Lionel merely smiled at her. "Just thought I'd float the idea boy you. I must be leaving. Good night Paris."  
  
"Night Lionel." Lionel got up and started toward the door. "Lionel?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You were joking right?"  
  
"One should never joke about murder Paris." With that Lionel walked out of the office leaving Paris stunned.  
  
Paris made her way out of the office and up to her room a few hours later.  
  
"Damn I haven't even packed yet." She said tiredly. "Oh well, better get started." She tossed her water bottle on the bed, changed into her pajamas and made her way into her closet.  
  
Lex walked in as she was zipping up her suitcase after putting the last of her clothes in for vacation. "Hey." He said quietly, to not startle her.  
  
"Oh, hey Lex. What's up?" She smiled at him.  
  
"Nothing I just came to see how you were. I hadn't heard any glass breaking so I figured you were plotting his death." He joked.  
  
Paris chuckled. "You know, oddly enough your dad did offer to have him offed for me."  
  
"He did?" Lex's eyebrows shot up in surprise and amusement.  
  
"Yeah, he even tried to be all New York about it, his exact words were 'Have the prick whacked.' It was cute."  
  
Lex chuckled this time. "That may actually be the nicest thing he's ever done."  
  
"Yeah but I thought better of it. I don't want Lionel to have anything on me for the rest of my life. Not that it wasn't a tempting offer." She gave a playful smirk.  
  
"So do you want to tell me the rest of the story yet?"  
  
She shook her head. "It's not important."  
  
"Alright, but if you want to I'm down the hall."  
  
"Yeah and up the stairs and around the corner and down that hall..." She teased him.  
  
"It's a big house." He countered. "I almost forgot why I came down here. Have you looked outside yet?"  
  
"No, not really why?"  
  
"Well it's already snowed 6 inches."  
  
"Are you kidding me?" Her face fell in disappointment.  
  
"Nope. It's not supposed to stop until late tomorrow and the airport is clooosed." He strung out closed.  
  
"Fuck! Could this week get any worse?" She asked as she dropped onto her bed.  
  
"My dad's here until the roads are cleared."  
  
"This is going to get gory isn't it?"  
  
"Probably."  
  
"Alight well I have to call my grandfather and get stuff sorted out. Did you tell Albert yet?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"How'd he take it?"  
  
"Not bad. The crying was minimal." He said joking.  
  
She chuckled and ran her hands over her face. "Night Lex."  
  
"Night Paris."  
  
----The next morning 8:00 Am----  
  
Paris's stereo turned on and, Boom Boom Boom came blaring out. "BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, LET ME HEAR YOU SAY HEY OH! GIRL YOUR BOOTY IS SO ROUND...."  
  
Paris shot up and fumbled tiredly for her remote to turn it off. "Oh I am going to kick his ass." She said as she dropped her head back down on her pillows. After a few minutes she made her way to the breakfast room where Lex and Albert already were. She walked in silently, still in her pajamas with her hair in a ponytail, and slapped Albert in the back of his head as she made her way to her seat.  
  
"Ow!" He said rubbing his head. "What the bloody hell was that for?"  
  
"You set the alarm on my stereo and I almost had a heart attack." She said then she rested her head on her arms on the table.  
  
"Oh that." Albert chuckled. "I did it before we left yesterday. I didn't want you to oversleep."  
  
"I have an alarm clock now shush. You're disturbing my sleep." She mumbled sleepily.  
  
Lex looked up from his newspaper. "Shouldn't you be doing that in your room?"  
  
"Are you new around here? Logic has left this part of the hemisphere and won't be coming back for a long, long time. Now quiet, I'm sleeping." Lex just shrugged his shoulders, knowing not to argue with her, and went back to reading his newspaper.  
  
Lionel walked in and sat at the other head across from Lex. "Paris will you please get your head off the table, people are eating."  
  
"Humph." Paris let out a sigh and sat back in her chair. A servant set down food in front of her, pancakes, sausage and eggs. She took one look at it and her stomach turned. "I'm not hungry, I'm going back to bed." She got up and as she walked past Albert she slapped his forehead.  
  
"What's your damage Heather?" Albert said snarkily.  
  
Paris whirred around and stalked back to the table, talking frantically the whole time. "Uah!" She let out an exasperated yelp. "What's my damage, what's my damage? You, I, lawsuit." She couldn't form a coherent sentence through her anger. She stopped next to his chair and started talking emphatically. "I think this is what a stroke feels like. Take a look around you Toto! We are stuck in fucking Kansas during a blizzard, I am being sued by my ex-fiancée for no actual reason accept that he wants me to suffer worse than I already have. My father isn't talking to me. Our family despises my very existence. I should be lying on a beach getting lightly tanned in the noon day sun drinking mai tais. But **NOOOOO** I'm here stuck in the house that dysfunctionality built and I can't do a thing about it and you think it's hysterical. And to top it off you are using quotes from a dark 80's cult comedy to make me look like a bitch. You are such a Stratford sometimes." She grabbed a glass of orange juice from the table and dumped it on his head. "I'm going back to bed only come in if you have prescription drugs and vodka." With that she pulled the hood of her sweatshirt on her head and walked out of the room.  
  
"Well she's quite pleasant this morning." Lionel said as he put his napkin in his lap.  
  
"She never was a morning person." Lex said offhandedly.  
  
"No one cares that I'm sitting in orange juice?" Albert asked.  
  
"You had to see it coming, she's done it before." Lex pointed out.  
  
----Paris's room that afternoon----  
  
Albert walked into Paris's room and hopped on the bed next to her making the large bed bounce.  
  
"Be nice to me." She grumbled. She smelled his head. "You don't smell like orange juice."  
  
"I showered. It's noon, you haven't eaten all day and I'm not going to let you spend the rest of the week in bed."  
  
"I wanna go to Fiji." She whined.  
  
"I know. Let's go watch TV or something."  
  
"Can I at least stay in my pajamas?"  
  
"Change them or we're going to start calling you Emily Dickinson."  
  
"Will not."  
  
"Will too, we took a vote."  
  
"Since when do you and Lex have to power to out vote me?"  
  
"We don't, but we can annoy you."  
  
"I don't like this plan."  
  
"Be changed and downstairs in ten minutes or we're sending Lionel in to talk to you."  
  
"I hate you all." She said pulling the covers over her head.  
  
"But we love you. Now get moving, the clock is ticking." Albert got up and left her room.  
  
----The TV Room----  
  
Paris did just what she said and changed into a different pair of pajamas and she, Albert and Lex were on the couch watching TV in the media room.  
  
"I still don't know why we're watching Buffy." Lex grumbled.  
  
"Because there's a marathon. You used to like this show and you know it. Unfortunately it's the last season and Sarah's my friend. Now shush or I'm going back to my room."  
  
"Did you skin a Muppet for those?" Lex asked pointing to her blue fuzzy socks.  
  
"They're warm and cozy. What's wrong with them, are they not something Helen would wear?"  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"Nothing, forget I said anything."  
  
"Fine. But can we please turn this off."  
  
"Fine." She turned the guide on and scrolled through. "Let's see whose E! True Hollywood Story is on."  
  
"Will you two stop bitching, you sound like my parents."  
  
Paris Turned E! on and there was a news break going.  
  
"Great E! News. Let's see whose getting divorced this week." Albert said.  
  
"I can't believe I'm watching E! with you two. Ever hear of the history channel?"  
  
"Shush, they're saying something about Paris."  
  
"Hi, I'm Steve Kometco for E! news live. As we mentioned earlier Jeremy Fitzpatrick, TV writer and, ex-fiancée of actress Paris Stratford has filed a lawsuit against the 23 year old actress citing destruction of property and abuse by Stratford. E! recently caught up with Fitzpatrick and he declined an on camera interview but he did say that Paris became increasingly verbally and physically abusive to him at the end of their 2 year relationship. He also said it was probably a side effect of her recent bout with alcoholism and drug abuse. We weren't able to get a hold of Paris at this time."  
  
**"BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T CALL!"** Paris yelled at the TV. She got up and began to pace. "I can't believe this. Did you two hear what he just said? Millions of people just heard that. Your sister just heard that. Holy shit, every studio in Hollywood just heard that. I'm screwed."  
  
"Paris calm down, it's Christmas week how many people do you actually think were watching that?" Albert tried to calm her down.  
  
"We were!" She said back. "Oh my god, he just turned me into Liza Minelli." Paris said frantically.  
  
"You can release a statement." Lex tried to help. "You can take a drug test. And surely your psychiatrist would help clear you of any alcoholism allegations."  
  
She was near tears. "That's not how it works, you should know that. Anything I do right now will make me look like I have something to hide. Besides it's not like I don't have a history of indiscretions."  
  
"Do you think someone would bring that up? I mean it was years ago, you were 16." Albert asked.  
  
"**YES **they'll find it and bring it up. For god sakes Albert I spent 2 weeks in a psych ward because I went on a bender and tried to kill myself!"  
  
"But your doctors..."  
  
"My doctors won't tell them, they're too afraid of my father, but someone will. I wasn't exactly a low profile kid."  
  
"You were depressed."  
  
"And **HIGH**! I was higher than a freakin' kite! The doctors told my dad that the mix of alcohol and drugs in my system could have killed a linebacker, not to mention the blood loss. I got lucky."  
  
"But you were depressed when you started using, that has to count for something."  
  
"Jesus Albert are you new to this game? Have you learned nothing from our time together? A: I wasn't depressed when I started using drugs, just when I started abusing them, and there is a difference. B: I used my wrists as a fucking cutting board! And C: I'm rich therefore my problems don't matter, they may get good ratings but they don't matter. As far as normal people are concerned I am just another example of an Upper East Side brat who had too much cash to spend and too much time on her hands."  
  
"Well that all happened what, 7 years ago. If someone was going to make news out of it wouldn't they have done it by now."  
  
"No. My father had it kept out of the media. Your parents didn't even hear about it for, what, two months after, and we're family. Not totally functional but family nonetheless."  
  
"Oh, well that does provide a bit of a quandary. Questions will be asked as to why this wasn't brought to light before."  
  
"Uh, yeah!"  
  
"Paris calm down, you're getting too worked up."  
  
"Don't fucking tell me to calm down Lex! I am being sued and my ex is committing serious slander via television, and it's going to be all over the papers by morning. My career is in serious trouble here. I have a company that I could very well lose. People's careers depend on me!"  
  
"We know you don't use drugs and you're not an alcoholic. What about the destruction of property?" Albert tried to get her to think about anything but the TV.  
  
"When I caught him with her, IN MY BED! I kicked them both out. And later that night after half a bottle of wine I got all of his stuff that I could find and brought it outside. I was having the pool cleaned, so it was empty. And I threw all his clothes and music and books and whatever else I found in and poured a decanter of his Cognac on top and torched it."  
  
"Okay so if that's all the property you destroyed he won't get much for it. And the allegations of abuse, I mean come on whose actually going to believe that you would hurt him for no reason at all."  
  
"You don't understand he doesn't deserve anything from me. This is his fault he started this. He cheated on me, he hi-hurt me, okay not the other way around!"  
  
Lex and Albert both looked at her in stunned silence.  
  
Paris realized her slip. "I'm going to go work out. I'll be done, I don't know when I'll be done."  
  
----The Gym----  
  
Lex stood behind the observation glass of the gym watching Paris on the gymnastics equipment, she had started on the mats, then the horse and spring board and was currently exercising on the uneven bars.  
  
"Doesn't this border on voyeurism son?" Lionel asked as he walked up next to Lex."  
  
Lex never took his eyes off Paris. "Hardly, I'm just making sure she doesn't hurt herself." Lex never took his eyes off her.  
  
"But you're in here and she's out there."  
  
"She made it clear that she didn't want any company."  
  
"I heard the news report. It seems our dear Paris has taken quite the hit."  
  
"Don't refer to her as 'our.' I heard about your offer though."  
  
"It still stands."  
  
"Why do you care so much?"  
  
"As hard pressed as you are to see it, I do have a heart. I've always thought of Paris as one of my children."  
  
"No wonder she's monumentally screwed up." Lex said sarcastically.  
  
"Very nice Lex. Anyway if I did have a daughter I would like her to be like Paris. I've enjoyed watching her grow over the years and seeing the woman she has become and her screw you to her father was just an added bonus." Lionel smirked.  
  
"Are you sure? I mean she doesn't listen to direct orders and she has an uncanny habit of thinking for herself. And if she were actually your kid that screw you would have been at you." He said without a hint of joking in his voice.  
  
"I know, but what can I say. Besides it's not like you're not here to carry on the legacy."  
  
"If you like Paris so much then why did you insist that I break up with her?" Lex asked coolly.  
  
"I told you before son her father would have come after my company and I have worked too long and hard to lose my company to Malcolm Stratford. Why do you care now, I mean you do have Helen."  
  
"What did you do to him dad?"  
  
"To Malcolm? Nothing that he wouldn't have done to me."  
  
"I hope you are proud of yourselves, using your children as pawns in your twisted game of chess. If it weren't for you two this wouldn't be happening to her."  
  
"You would have left her eventually son, and it would have been worse than it was."  
  
"How can you be so sure?"  
  
"Because if there's one thing you can't do, it's interpersonal relationships."  
  
Lex watched as Paris went to make the jump from the top bar to the bottom and overshot the bar, losing her grip and landing face first on the mat.  
  
"I wonder where I learned that from. If you'll excuse me I'm going to go see if she's still breathing." Lex stalked away from Lionel.  
  
Lex walked into the gym and walked up to Paris who was lying on her back on the mat staring at the ceiling.  
  
"I was wondering how long it'd take one of you to come in here." She said neutrally.  
  
"I came to see how you were doing."  
  
"Like you weren't watching me from behind the glass."  
  
Lex reached a hand out to help her up.  
  
"It's not safe for you to use this equipment without a spotter."  
  
"I don't need a spotter."  
  
"I saw you fall. Come on let me help you up."  
  
"Fine." She grabbed his hand and let him hoist her to her feet. She walked over to the bench and started to put her sweats over her leotard. "So what." She took off her ankle braces and put a pair of sweat socks on. Then she grabbed her water bottle and took a sip.  
  
"Excuse me."  
  
"What'd you come in here to say to me?" She took another sip.  
  
"Nothing I just came to help you up after that face plant."  
  
They walked out of the gym and to her office. "I've taken worse. I got a voice mail from Chip Schrek. He just called to welcome me back to the world of those who are footloose and fancy free 24/7. He asked when you were going to come back."  
  
"Oh that Chip, never misses a chance to screw with us." Lex said with fake fondness in h voice.  
  
"I hate him."  
  
"As do I my lithe little friend."  
  
Paris sat down behind her desk and passed the bottle from hand to hand, and Lex sat in front of it.  
  
"What'd he do to you Paris?"  
  
"What do you think he did?" She kept looking at the red lexan plastic and not at Lex.  
  
"I want to hear it from you."  
  
"Why, so you can go kill him?"  
  
"No, because I don't think you should carry these things around forever."  
  
She looked up at him and put the bottle on the desk. "Well look who's playing Freud. He hit me alright."  
  
Lex's face darkened in anger. "How many times."  
  
"Just the one time, no one gets the chance to hurt me twice. The day I caught them. We started arguing and he hit me. I threw him out and filed the restraining order. And I called you the next day."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me before?"  
  
"Why? Why didn't I tell you? I had no idea that this effected you so much Lex, I didn't realize how selfish I was being withholding this information from you."  
  
"I could have..."  
  
She cut him off. "What could you have done? You couldn't have done anything Lex. I know you have this instinct to protect me but you couldn't have stopped this from happening. And I didn't need you getting thrown in jail for doing something dumb. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to think that I couldn't take care of myself, besides it's not exactly something one wants to broadcast."  
  
"I understand. I wouldn't have done anything to him if you had told me not to."  
  
Paris's phone started ringing. She looked at the screen and recognized the number. "Hold on a minute." She answered. "Hey Mackenzie. How's Hawaii?"  
  
"It' great but that's not why I called. Oh my god Paris I just saw E!. That dickless wonder has some nerve spreading those rumors about you. What are you going to do?"  
  
"I don't know, were already filing an injunction after the first, now I can counter sue. The words gag order may even come up."  
  
"You'd better counter sue the asshole. Take him for all he's worth. Do your lawyers know what they're doing?"  
  
"Mack your dad recommended them to me, two of their partners came out of his firm. I doubt that Elijah Rosenberg would steer me wrong."  
  
"Well I think you should go for twice the amount he's suing you for, wait, push for community service too. Seeing him pick up trash in an orange jumpsuit would provide hours of entertainment."  
  
"Dear God I'm so glad that I'll never have to face you in court. You must send them ducking for cover in law school."  
  
"What can I say, litigating is in my blood. So what all happened. What started this whole 'Parisgate' saga?"  
  
"Mack I don't want to talk about this on the phone right now. How about this? When you get back to New York I'll fly back and we'll get brunch at the Plaza and I can tell you the whole story."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Later Mack."  
  
"Later Strat."  
  
Paris closed her phone and put it back on her desk. "Well Mackenzie's ready for the fight of the century, you'd swear she'd passed her bar already. She's going to take some man for all he's worth one day."  
  
"Are you?"  
  
"Going to take him for all he's worth, nah, I have more money than I could spend in two lifetimes." She joked.  
  
Lex smiled. "You know what I meant."  
  
"I can take him. I can take him, and the press and whatever else they throw at me. It's my dad I worry about."  
  
"How do you think he's going to take this?"  
  
"He'll make the Punic wars look like a school yard fight."  
  
"So he'll side with you on this."  
  
"No, it's not about me. He'll do what's best for the company. And he'll be pissed at me for starting it." Paris's phone rang again, this time it was The Imperial March from Star Wars. She sat staring at it for a second.  
  
"The Imperial March?" Lex asked with a smirk.  
  
"It's fitting. Besides I heard the one you have for your dad, 'You're a Mean one Mr. Grinch.' You win in the dorkiest ringer category."  
  
"He's waiting."  
  
"Grrr." She answered. "Hi dad. How are things in England?"  
  
"Paris what have you done?" He barked on the other end.  
  
"Dad I didn't do anything. He's just out for a little revenge."  
  
"Don't lie to me Paris. When did all this start again? I will have you in rehab so fast."  
  
"Dad I'm not on anything."  
  
"And it won't be one of those posh L.A. rehab centers either, I'll send you to a convent in Siberia where you can't do any more damage."  
  
"Dad are you listening to me? I'm not on drugs this isn't about drugs. He just said that crap to make me look less credible. You know I haven't done anything like that since I was 16."  
  
"I don't believe you Paris. And besides do you know what this is going to do to my company. If my stock shares fall, because of this I swear young lady you just may get that disownment you've been waiting for. I cannot believe you Paris. Do you have absolutely no regard for anyone but yourself? Do you know how much money this is going to cost to clear up? Let alone what kind of father this make me look like."  
  
"No dad it'll make you look like the greatest father to all of them. You will be the hero who comes to rescue his daughter from her big bad ex. Meanwhile I'm the only person who knows exactly what kind of father you actually are."  
  
"Oh and what kind of father am I?"  
  
"Just off the top of my head. Distant, unloving, selfish, hypocritical, relentless, discontented. Give me an hour and I'll come up with more. You won't even give your own daughter the benefit of the doubt."  
  
"I can't give you the benefit of the doubt because you are my daughter. I know your past."  
  
"Right, and as we all know people never change." She snapped her phone shut. "**AHHHHHH!"** She screamed at the top of her lungs.  
  
"Feel better?"  
  
"Not even close." She opened her hone back up and snapped it in half. Then she picked up her laptop and smashed the phone to pieces. Once she was breathless from smashing her phone she sat down, boneless, in her chair. "Now I feel better."  
  
"You killed your cell phone. Plus you did some serious damage to your computer."  
  
She closed her eyes and held a finger in front of her lips. "Shhh. Don't ruin the moment. And if you do that I'll have to beat you to death with the unbreakable water bottle."  
  
"Paris this is going to get worse before it gets better."  
  
"Don't say that. I've changed my mind, I don't want to be an adult. Is it too late to hitch a fairy to never never land?"  
  
"I have a surprise for you. Have your snow clothes on in twenty minutes."  
  
"Since when did everyone start ordering me around? When did it stop snowing?"  
  
"Since it's for your own good. It stopped an hour ago."  
  
"How do I know this?"  
  
"Have I ever steered you wrong?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Twenty minutes, meet us in the foyer now go."  
  
----Twenty minutes later----  
  
Paris walked into the foyer, dressed for the snow like Lex instructed.  
  
The doorbell rang a few seconds later so she answered it. "Hey Clark, Chloe, Lana. What's up?" She asked as they walked in.  
  
"No clue, Lex called us up and said to dress for the snow. But he was pretty cryptic about it." Clark said.  
  
"And that's a change from any other day." Chloe said skeptically.  
  
"I wasn't cryptic I was secretive." Lex said walking into the foyer, followed by Albert.  
  
"And there's a difference?" Lana asked.  
  
"Slight. We're not here to argue semantics. Everyone follow me." Lex motioned for the group to follow him. Lex led them to the garage. When they entered they went to the lower level where six snowmobiles awaited them.  
  
"Lex these are awesome!" Clark exclaimed.  
  
"I know Clark, that's why I bought them. Everyone grab one and follow me. You three wear helmets." Lex pointed to the three teens.  
  
"Do we have to?" Chloe asked.  
  
"Yes, because I don't need to be sued by your parents if anything happens to you."  
  
"Really Chloe, one lawsuit a week is enough." Paris said with a wry smile. Everyone just looked at her shocked. "Oh come on someone had to say it."  
  
Albert shook his head and chuckled. "It was funny. You're twisted but it was funny."  
  
"Come one let's go." Lex motioned for everyone to pick a snowmobile, he of course picked the purple and black one.  
  
Ten minutes later after a debate between Chloe and Albert about who was going to get to ride the burnt orange snowmobile. Chloe won after Paris intervened on her behalf, the group was speeding along, behind Lex, on the back paths through the woods and cornfields of Smallville.  
  
Lex stopped in the middle of a large open field and got off his snowmobile, everyone else followed suit. Clark and Lana knew where they were, but Clark didn't know that Lex knew where it was.  
  
"Lex why are we in the middle of McGregor's field?" Clark asked skeptically.  
  
"Because we needed a little outing. How long has it been since any of us have had any real fun?"  
  
"Lex mate is that a trick question? Because if it is I'm going home, I'm freezing my bits off."  
  
Paris swatted his arm. "Shush, no one wants to hear about your bits."  
  
"I'm just saying."  
  
"I know what your saying now...." She was cut off by a snowball hitting her in the side of the head. She looked in the direction where it came from and smiled broadly. "You Luthor are so dead." She grabbed a handful of snow and whipped it at Lex, hitting him square in the chest.  
  
"Is that all you've got? You throw like such a girl." Lex teased her.  
  
"I'm going to kick your ass." Paris tore off after Lex and chased him with another snowball in hand.  
  
Lana picked up a chunk of snow and nailed Clark in the head.  
  
"You do know this means war." He said as he bent down to grab some snow.  
  
"Oh no you don't." Chloe whipped another snow ball at the boy.  
  
"What don't I get any love?" Albert asked dejectedly. Five snowballs flew at him, all direct hits. "Thank you." He said whipping snow off his sunglasses.  
  
The group spent the next hour and a half in an all out war, boys vs. girls snowballs flying everywhere. They were having the time of their lives.  
  
Lana ducked behind a tree to take off her hat and shake some of the snow off, Albert snuck up behind her and was about to nail her in the back with a snowball when he was stopped. Paris stepped in front of Lana. "Lana duck." She called to the young girl. Lana looked at her wide eyed but did as said letting Paris hit Albert.  
  
"You think you're so smart don't you." Lex's smooth voice called from behind her.  
  
Paris turned around to face her friend. "And what if I do?" She said walking toward him.  
  
Lex tossed his snowball in the air and caught it, not taking his eyes off the brunette stalking toward him like a jungle cat. "Maybe I'll have to do something about that." Lex said as she got within arms reach of him.  
  
"Are you gonna throw that at me or are you content to play with your balls all day?" She said candidly.  
  
"Oh Paris, the queen of the double entendre." Lex said with a sexy smirk. He dropped the ball and grabbed Paris then threw her in the snow.  
  
"Oh you are sooooo going down for this. I am going to put bananas in the tail pipes of all your cars."  
  
"You wouldn't dare."  
  
"Give me evidence to the contrary."  
  
"Fine." He held his hand out to help her up but she pulled him down in the snow next to her, then she quickly got him on his back and sat on his chest. "You are so predictable."  
  
"You are so easily duped." She said sticking her tongue out at him.  
  
"Well now that you've got me down here what do you plan to do?"  
  
"Oh I dunno." She smiled as she brought a large snowball into his view. "This might look nice on your head or down your pants." She passed it from hand to hand. Lex got impatient and grabbed her wrists yanking them above his head causing her to drop the snowball. Paris lost her balance and fell forward her face stopping mere inched from Lex's. A few strands of snow covered hair fell over the sides of her face and dangled between them. Stormy gray blue eyes met sparkling emerald green. Lex licked some melted snow off his lips. Paris's breath caught in her chest. Their friends stood silently watching the exchange a few yards away. Something stirred inside Paris but she knew she couldn't embrace it, although the idea of kissing Lex was quite attractive to her. "Oh god." She muttered. She quickly yanked out of Lex's grasp and go off him. She quickly walked over to her snowmobile, not making eye contact with any one on the way. She started the engine with a roar and took off toward the house. No one said a word to her or Lex.  
  
Lana and Albert were standing by the tree watching the whole thing. "What just happened?" She asked quietly.  
  
"Don't worry luv. Things just got a little too real for Romeo and Juliet."  
  
Oh no I left you hanging. Guess you all will just have to wait for part 2.


	8. Charlie Brown We're Not Part 2

After the incident in the snow Paris and Lex steered clear of each other for the rest of the day. Lionel had left by the time they had gotten back to the house, apparently his plane had been given clearance to take off and he was on his way to his house in Maui for a few weeks of R&R.  
  
Once all roads were cleared and the patient load had greatly decreased Helen was given the okay to leave and had tomorrow off, which meant she headed straight for Lex's place. Unfortunately Lex and Len had to cancel their trip to Colorado since the mountains were all closed due to the blizzard and a few missing skiers.  
  
Gustave didn't believe in making his employees go back to work during their time off and since he hadn't counted on the snowstorm he had given his pilots the week off starting the 23rd and the blizzard was making it's way across the US and was currently attacking the East Coast making any and all flight through there impossible. Paris and Albert were stuck in Smallville until the 27th at the earliest.  
  
Dinner was awkward that night, afterward Paris and Albert made themselves scarce by playing billiards, giving Lex and Helen the entire rest of the house. Albert didn't trust Helen at all, something about her just set alarms off inside him but he didn't voice his concern to Lex because he knew what kind of reaction his friend would have and it wouldn't be pretty.  
  
----December 24th, Christmas Eve----  
  
----Paris----  
  
Paris was sitting at Lex's desk, trying to keep the fantasy of her and him naked on top of it out of her head, answering her e-mails since her laptop was broken and even she, the computer nerd, couldn't fix it. The bottom was cracked and the screen was shattered, so she humbled herself to ask Lex to use his IMac. Paris's E-mail account was flooded with greetings and support from her friends an colleagues about her current legal situation and at least three of her past therapists contacted her letting her know that their services were still available. She had to check her voice mail from the house because her cell phone wasn't in commission and that account needed to be cleared 5 times before noon, she could only imagine what her publicist must have been dealing with from all the TV stations. All five of Mackenzie's brothers and her older sister called her to show their support and Bruce had called half a dozen times between the 22nd and then. She also had a brief conversation with her grandfather. She had spent most of the morning returning calls and e-mails so by the time the afternoon rolled around she was ready to crash, but she couldn't due to the giant pile of scripts and paperwork that would surely keep her away from Helen for the rest of the week.  
  
----Lex----  
  
Lex spent most of the day with Helen trying to keep Paris out of the fore front of his mind, which is quite a hard task to do. After his talk with Paris the previous afternoon he knew she didn't want him to get involved with her current situation, but that didn't stop him from trying to think up ways to help her. It was no use, she would know if he had a hand in it. He was sitting on the couch with Helen watching TV, he didn't even know what they were watching because he kept thinking about Paris. He shook his head and turned his attention back to Helen.  
  
----Helen----  
  
Helen had noticed the uneasiness between the three when she saw them the night before, but she chalked it up to cabin fever. Today though it was hard to ignore. At breakfast she was reading the entertainment pages because Lex had snagged business, Albert had gotten sports and Paris took the comics. Anyway Lex glanced up and saw Paris's picture on the page she was holding and promptly asked her if she wanted to trade sections, when they did he folded the paper and laid it on the table. The rest of breakfast was eaten in silence. This afternoon they were flipping though channels and landed on E!. They were running a blurb on Paris, Helen saw Lex's posture immediately stiffen and his face turn stoney. She knew what that meant, he was feeling protective toward her. Helen wasn't going to let Lex Luthor get away from her, she had to make sure of that. For now she contended herself with burying herself further into his side.  
  
Lex looked down at her with a look of question on his face.  
  
She looked up with an innocent look and blinked a few times. "It's drafty in this old castle."  
  
Lex knew this flirt all too well. "I could turn the fire up if you'd like." He said with a playful smile.  
  
"No I'm fine like this." She settled back down and laid her head on his chest. With her free hand she began to stroke the soft lambs wool that made up his sweater. "You know, there are other things we can do to keep warm." Her voice was low and seductive.  
  
"Oh and that would be?" He teased.  
  
"A very simple procedure." She sat up and crawled up his body, straddling his lap. She placed her hands on his shoulders and he rested his hands on her hips.  
  
Lex looked intrigued. "Oh and that procedure would be?" He asked in a seductive voice.  
  
"Well." Kiss. "When people are cold." Kiss. "They can share body heat." Kiss.  
  
"Oh, and how does said body heat get shared?"  
  
"Well." She slid her hands under the hem of his sweater and lightly stroked the smooth skin underneath. "In order to properly share body heat both people have to be naked."  
  
Lex lifted an inquisitive eyebrow and licked his lips. "Naked huh? Go on."  
  
"And they can be engaged in some form of physical activity, just to raise the body heat of course."  
  
"I see. It's purely scientific."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Well who am I to argue with a doctor?"  
  
Helen leaned forward and kissed Lex while he worked his hands under the back of her sweater and she started to undo the button on his trousers.  
  
Albert came walking into the media room not expecting what he was about to interrupt. "Lex mate have you...." He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Helen straddling Lex.  
  
Lex broke the kiss quick and stood up, dropping Helen onto the floor. "Shit, Helen sorry." He grabbed her hand and helped her to her feet. "Hey. Albert. What's up?"  
  
"Sorry mate. I was just trying to find my cousin."  
  
"She's in my. In my ummm...." Lex struggled to find the word. Albert smirked at Lex's loss for words, considering he was never at one.  
  
"She's in your office. She's been in your office since after breakfast. And I'm sure she'll still be in your office when we ring in the New Year." Helen said, annoyed with her arms crossed over her chest.  
  
"Right then I'll be on my way. As you were." Albert gave a wave, turned around and hurried out of the room and to the office, snickering the whole way.  
  
"God you'd swear bad timing was in their DNA." Helen said crossly.  
  
"He didn't mean to."  
  
"Whatever. When are they leaving?"  
  
"It's not like they want to be here. Hell it's not like we want to be here."  
  
"I'm not so sure about that."  
  
Lex looked at her but said nothing.  
  
-----Lex's Office----  
  
Albert burst through the office doors in a full roar of laughter. "Peanut you'll never guess what I did." He flopped down in one of the leather chairs in front of Lex's desk where Paris was sitting.  
  
Paris didn't look away form the monitor. "Proposed marriage to Prince William?"  
  
"No smart ass, you know he rebuked my past offers. I walked in on Lex and Helen."  
  
Paris looked over from the monitor at her cousin a big smile on her face. "You didn't. Please Albie, tell me you didn't." Pretty soon she was in a fit of laughter along with Albert. "Please tell me they weren't naked." Paris said through choked laughter.  
  
"No but the top button of Lex's pants was undone. I walked in on foreplay." More ruckus laughter. After they calmed down Albert asked her, "So why are you in here? I thought Lex gave you an office. I mean are you not the woman who once said 'Apples are for eating not computing.' By the way you are a techno snob."  
  
She had to think of a lie quick, her and Lex decided not to tell Albert about her episode the night before. "There's something wrong with the hard drive and I don't have the part here so I'm using his. No big." The computer beeped and she looked over at the monitor. "Crap."  
  
"What's wrong with it?"  
  
"Nothing. I've been doing re-writes through e-mail with some writers from Paramount and I'm printing the script out for a proper read. And Lex's jackass printer just ran out of paper."  
  
"Just grab more."  
  
"And where do you suppose I'd do that?" She gestured to the glass desk and sparsely decorated room. "He decorated in early Spartan."  
  
"Why don't you prance down to your office and get some of your own?"  
  
"Well I would if I had a printer." She began looking through the shelves.  
  
"You don't have a printer? It can't be for lack of sufficient funds."  
  
"No I threw it off the balcony in California and I haven't bought a new one. Crap, there is no freaking paper in this soddin' room."  
  
"What about in the book shelves?"  
  
"No, Lex keeps the cabinets locked."  
  
"Key?"  
  
"Hmmm... If I were Lex where would I put a key?" She walked over and surveyed the surroundings behind the desk. "Ah ha." She walked over to a purple vase on the window sill and turned it over in her hand, producing a key. "Lex is so predictable. Don't tell him I said that." She put the vase back and waltzed over to the bookcase. "What have you been up to all day? You've been conspicuously absent since breakfast."  
  
"Working on something for you?"  
  
"Oh yeah, what?"  
  
"You'll see."  
  
Paris opened a cabinet ad started rifling around for paper when a black and white picture caught her eye. She grabbed it and stared in disbelief. It was a picture of Lionel and Victoria having sex. 'Ewwww!' She thought disgusted. 'Whore.'. The date showed that it was shortly before they took over Sir Harry's company, meaning Victoria was living with Lex at the time. 'I really am the only one he hasn't slept with.' She thought sadly then put the picture back.  
  
"Paris, earth to Paris."  
  
"Huh, what?" Paris snapped out of her daze.  
  
"Nothing. What'd you find in there?"  
  
"Nothing." She reached father back until she could find a ream of paper. "Found it." She locked the cabinet, replaced the key, went back and put the paper in the printer and finished her project.  
  
"Why don't you shut that down I have something to show you."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"Oh and you'll need to change into this." He produced a sarong and bathing suit from the pocket of his sweatshirt.  
  
Paris took the items with a questioning look on her face. "Umm, where did you find these and you do realize that snow indicates freezing weather conditions. And this definitely would get me frost bite."  
  
"I went through your suitcase. Now stop questioning and just go change."  
  
"Fine. Lex has a bathroom in here. I'll change, you wait here."  
  
Paris came back a few minutes later changed into a black two piece bathing suit with red flowers on the top and bottoms and her red sarong. "I'm still confused. Not that I mind the choice in bathing suits but I have bikinis."  
  
"You won't be. I chose one that covered more cause anything else would have made me feel creepy. Come with me." Paris followed Albert through the house to the indoor pool. "Close your eyes."  
  
"Alright." Paris did as she was instructed and Albert led her into the room.  
  
"Alright open 'em."  
  
Paris opened her eyes and looked around her. The pool was completely decorated with bright white garden lights, a few sun lamps, tropical flowers and small trees from the green house, tropical music was playing, a table was set up with fruit and Mai-tai's. "Oh my god Abie this is awesome."  
  
"I figured since we couldn't have the beach, the beach would come to us."  
  
"Thank you, thank you, thank you." She gave her cousin a hug.  
  
"Alright I'm going to go put my trunks on, why don't you have a swim."  
  
Albert shoved her into the pool. "Wha...AH!" When she resurfaced she swept the hair out of her face and threw her sarong on the deck. "Jerk." And swam for a raft that was in the middle of the pool. After hoisting herself up, she laid back and relaxed in the tranquility of the room.  
  
"So I take it you like it." Albert came back in and took the other raft.  
  
"Very much. Thank you, again Albie."  
  
"You're welcome Peanut. Merry Christmas."  
  
"Merry Christmas. So did you talk to Brian today?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And how is he?"  
  
"He's alright. He said he'd still meet us for New Year's. He also sends his condolences to you."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Oh god. I am going to kill Jeremy. And then I'm going to buy E! and shut it down."  
  
"I believe you yanks call that censorship."  
  
"Shut up." She said annoyed and splashed him. "Besides I have dual citizenship so I'm still a Brit."  
  
"You defected." He splashed her harder and laughed.  
  
"I was brought here against my will." She splashed him again.  
  
They stayed in the pool until late into the evening when Lex and Helen came in to see where they had run off too. The cousins were laughing hysterically at something unknown to the couple.  
  
When they walked in the music was turned up and Paris and Albert were laughing, Albert on a raft and Paris standing on the high dive, Lex surveyed the room, grabbed the remote and clicked the system off. "Well I see Albert has volunteered his decorating services. I like it, very tropical."  
  
"Hey mate." Albert waved to him from the middle of the pool.  
  
"Luthor what up!" Paris said happily as she dove off the high dive.  
  
"You two seem to have kept yourselves well entertained."  
  
Paris resurfaced and swam to her raft. "Very much so." Paris said as she paddled her way to the side. "Wanna join us?"  
  
"Sorry Paris we were on our way to bed we just wanted to say good night." Helen said snidely as she stood at Lex's side, glaring at Paris.  
  
"Well I didn't ask you if you wanted to join us."  
  
"Well I thought it was implied."  
  
"Well then there's your problem."  
  
"Paris be nice." Albert came over and dumped her off her raft.  
  
She came up sputtering water. "Hey, now, uncalled for."  
  
"Cool off and go get another drink."  
  
"Well if you insist. As I always say, drinking is the cause and solution for life's problems." Paris got out of the pool, shook her long hair of excess water all over Helen, earning herself a glare from Lex, and got herself yet another Mai-tai that evening.  
  
"Albert how many of those has she had so far?" Lex asked.  
  
"Dunno mate. We stopped counting after the first two pitchers and that was awhile ago."  
  
"Jesus Lex they're plastered. They really shouldn't be swimming in this condition."  
  
"Helen they'll be fine."  
  
"Fine, but when one of them drowns I'm going to say I told you so."  
  
"Get off it lady. Please take the broom out of your ass and fly it to your castle of flying monkeys."  
  
"PARIS!" Lex and Albert both snapped at her at the same time.  
  
"Fuck you Paris. You are nothing but self indulgent, spoiled, rich brat, and I'm tired of watching these two coddle your ass because god forbid life throw anything in Paris's way. The world would stop on it's axis." Helen laid into Paris.  
  
"You don't know the first thing about my life, so why don't you leave now before I lose my temper."  
  
"Threats. Nice, really classy."  
  
"It wasn't a threat." Paris narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. "Just because you have a PhD does not mean you know anything. I've seen others like you, and they all have one thing in common. They came and they left."  
  
"Yep that's enough, time for bed." Albert got out of the pool. "Paris say good night."  
  
"No Albert I'm...." She stopped her protest when he threw her over his shoulder and started walking out of the room. "You do know that this is highly undignified."  
  
"Only for you Peanut."  
  
"Hey did you know these floors are marble?"  
  
After the cousins left Lex and Helen were standing alone in the pool.  
  
"I'm sorry she said those things. Sometimes when she's in a mood like this she just gets on a roll and she can't stop herself, especially if she's been drinking."  
  
"Yeah, well the next time she pulls something like that she won't be standing when she gets done."  
  
Lex smirked at her. "Not that I don't think she was wrong but you aren't entirely innocent yourself."  
  
"I can't believe you're actually defending her."  
  
"Look you don't know her the way I do. She's not a bad person."  
  
"No she's just a juvenile bitch."  
  
"She hates the holidays and usually she's okay she makes it through relatively unscathed, but this past month has been really bad for her. If she wants to be numb and left alone I say we let her do it. Albert and I know how to handle her. "  
  
"You really think that letting her drink herself into a stupor is going to solve anything. Lex if you're really her friend you'll get her some help."  
  
"She doesn't need help, she needs to be left alone, if she wants to talk about something she knows where I am. I won't argue with you about this. I'll talk to her tomorrow about this, she'll apologize and everything will be worked out."  
  
"I don't want to work things out with her. I want her out of this house."  
  
"That's not going to happen."  
  
"Really." Helen pursed her lips  
  
"Let's just go to bed and we'll talk about this tomorrow."  
  
"Fine."  
  
----December 25th, Christmas Day----  
  
Everyone slept late the next day, Paris and Helen still weren't speaking, Helen and Lex weren't entirely on good terms, Lex was trying to think of ways to get Helen to hate Paris less and trying to figure out what to say to her later that wouldn't make her fly off the handle, everyone was okay with Albert.  
  
Paris and Albert were on the couch, still in their pajamas, eating cookies, watching 'Steele Magnolias' around mid-morning when Lex walked into the media room. He stood in front of the TV blocking their view in order to get their attention.  
  
Paris looked at him annoyed and said sarcastically. "Excuse me, but Weezer is about to say something mind blowingly heartfelt and prolific so I would appreciate it if you would move."  
  
"The movie's 13 years old, you know it by heart. Come on you two, Helen has to be at the hospital in a few hours and I thought it would be nice if we ALL made an effort to be together, get along and open presents."  
  
Paris and Albert looked at each other, shrugged, then looked beck at Lex. "Sounds like a good idea mate. Come on Paris it'll be fun."  
  
"Nothing about Christmas is fun." She said as she got up and shuffled out of the room behind Lex and Albert.  
  
"Come on you'll love what I got you."  
  
"Only if it's a shot gun." She muttered.  
  
They walked into the formal sitting room where a large beautifully decorated Christmas tree was waiting for them, with their presents for each other under it. Helen was sitting in a high backed chair with a mug of coffee in her hand. "Paris so nice of you to join us, and sober yet. How's the hang over?"  
  
"Nonexistent. Your concern has been noted." Paris said dryly.  
  
Lex was getting annoyed. "Everybody be nice and open presents."  
  
Albert was rummaging under the tree looking for something, when he found it he smiled. "Here peanut this is for you." He handed Paris a box wrapped in red metallic paper.  
  
Paris sat down next to him and smiled as he handed out other gifts from the tree.  
  
"Don't just look at, open it."  
  
"Fine, fine." She tore into the paper and opened the shirt box it contained. She took out the neatly folded shirt and laughed at what she saw. A black ribbed racer back tank, with the words 'Sparkles Fontane Lives' written across the front in pink cursive covered in glitter. "Oh my god. Where did you get this?" She held it to her body to show everyone. Lex and Albert laughed because they knew the joke.  
  
"I had it printed especially for you."  
  
"This is unbelievable."  
  
"I don't get it. Who's Sparkles Fontane?" Helen asked.  
  
"She, is Sparkles Fontane." Albert said, pointing to Paris.  
  
Helen looked even more confused.  
  
"Let me clarify. When I was in high school my friend Mackenzie and I would sometimes dress in drag when we went to the village and hung out with our gay friends in the drag bars and clubs. And someone once told me that I looked like a 'Sparkles Fontane.' Hence the Sparkles Fontane. We dragged these two there a couple of times. Anyway when I transferred to Excelsior I couldn't go to the village because I wasn't there and when I came back for the summer someone said, 'We thought Sparkles Fontane died.' And I said no, 'she's still very much alive.' After that whenever someone would say, 'Oh my god I haven't seen you in forever.' I'd say 'Sparkles Fontane lives.' I still use the name sometimes when I check into hotels. The story's dumb, but if you were there it's funny."  
  
"How do girls dress in drag?"  
  
"A lot of makeup and a little imagination."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Here." Lex handed Helen a long, slim, elegantly wrapped box. Paris knew what it was right away and she was sure Helen did too, Albert wasn't paying attention, he was too busy looking for Paris's gift to him. Helen opened the box revealing a platinum tennis bracelet with diamonds.  
  
"Oh my gosh Lex. It's beautiful. Thank you." She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Paris discretely rolled her eyes.  
  
Paris turned her attention back to the tree and Albert when she heard a scuffle behind her. Albert had shimmied under the tree in search of his present. "What are you doing G.I Joe?"  
  
"Looking for my present from you Ducks."  
  
She shook her head and smiled. "You are such a child."  
  
"This from a woman with a Grover doll." He retorted dryly.  
  
"Hey, it has sentimental value and it's not like I sleep with it. Move over, you're going to break the tree." She stepped over him and found the package he was looking for. "Here, merry Christmas." She smiled and handed him a square box of medium thickness wrapped in shiny red paper with a green bow and ribbon.  
  
"My cousin may hate Christmas but she gives the best gifts."  
  
"I'm good at shopping."  
  
Albert tore into his present with the enthusiasm of an 8 year old on espresso. His eyes widened in surprise at the object that awaited him. In the box laid a large photo album looking book. When he opened it he saw that it was actually a scrap book full of pictures of all of them, some of their more memorable sayings, inside jokes, funny bumper stickers and pins that fit their personalities. There was a pin next to a picture of him that said 'I'm the pink sheep of the family.' And one next to a picture of Paris, when she had pink hair that said 'I don't do normal.' "Paris this is bloody brilliant. I love it. This must have taken you forever." He hugged her tight.  
  
"Once I decided what I wanted to do it pretty much put itself together."  
  
They continued to open presents for the next few minutes, Lex's present to Paris was the last one to be opened. Paris carefully unwrapped the perfectly wrapped present. When she finally got it open she was speechless. Lex had gotten her a first edition book of classic French fairytales, in French. "Oh my god. Lex, where'd you get this? It's beautiful." She marveled at the book, the soft leather cover, and the original bindings, it smelled like leather.  
  
"I found it in a book store in Province. I thought it would go well with your other books."  
  
"It does, thank you." She got up and gave him a hug, earning herself yet another glare form Helen.  
  
The group cleaned up the gift wrap mess and went their separate ways. Albert went to his room to look at the scrap book Paris had given him. Lex and Helen went to his room while she got ready for work. Paris went to her office to read the book Lex had given her.  
  
She put her broken cell phone and computer in the closet before she sat down at her desk, just to get comfortable and maybe forget what was going on around her. She curled up in the comfortable leather chair and opened the antique book. To her surprise Lex had written an inscription to her, in French, on the inside cover. When she read it the words made her choke up with emotion. The translation read, 'Paris. I know you don't believe in fairytale love but I hope you find your Prince Charming once and for all you deserve your happy ending. Merry Christmas. Love Always, Alexander.' She carefully closed the book, laid it on the desk and grabbed a Kleenex. 'I already found him, but his heart belongs to someone else.' She thought sadly as she dabbed her tears.  
  
----The kitchen that afternoon----  
  
After changing her clothes and getting herself presentable Paris was rummaging through the kitchen looking for something to eat but not finding anything she liked. Lex came in a few minutes later and joined her. "Not to be picky, but I can't find anything to eat in this house." She took a sip from her glass of soda that was on the counter next to her.  
  
"I was just thinking the same thing." Lex said leaning against the counter. "Any ideas?"  
  
"Take out?"  
  
"Where do you want to order from?"  
  
"I feel guilty ordering on Christmas."  
  
"Well if they're open it's not our fault."  
  
"True."  
  
"Italian?"  
  
"Nah, I want noodles but no marinara sauce. Chinese?"  
  
"That sounds great."  
  
"I'll find Albert and ask him what he wants."  
  
"Hey Paris before you do that can I talk to you for a minute."  
  
"Sure. What about?" She leaned up against the counter across from him.  
  
Lex looked at the floor. "I don't know how to say this exactly. We need to talk about you."  
  
"Wouldn't that be a bit narcissistic on my part?" She joked.  
  
He looked up at her. "Paris I'm serious. Helen is on my back about you."  
  
Paris got defensive. "Look, with the exception of last night I have been nothing but cordial to the woman. She treats me like, she treats me the same way our fathers treat us. She's jealous of our friendship, that's not my problem."  
  
"It is your problem Paris. She is pissed at you and she wants you out of this house. I don't need to be hearing about you from her and I don't need to be hearing about her form you."  
  
"I haven't said a word about her. I bite my tongue because not talking about problems is how we keep the peace."  
  
"That's not true and you know it."  
  
"Oh really." She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her eyebrow at him. "If she's making you choose between her or me which one of us do you think is actually the problem in this scenario?"  
  
"She wants me to put you in therapy because of the drinking."  
  
"I don't need therapy and you know that. Besides I'm over 18, no one's putting me in therapy unless I deem otherwise."  
  
Lex gritted his teeth. "I didn't say you need therapy. But out of curiosity, how long has it been since you have been to your therapist?"  
  
"I don't need a therapist, I'm not sick. And I don't need to be ragged on about drinking every so often by someone who needs 2 drinks after work and another 3 before he goes to bed."  
  
"This isn't about me." He snapped.  
  
"Hit a nerve did I. Well maybe it should be."  
  
"Paris don't make me argue with you about this. Can you just please watch how you are around her?"  
  
"Lex I already walk on egg shells around her, and I do it for you. Don't you ever forget that."  
  
"And don't forget that I am putting my relationship on the line so you can stay here until your house is done."  
  
"I said I'd stay in a hotel in Metropolis, but you said 'no stay here, it'll be great.' And then Helen comes along and all of a sudden I'm the obstacle in your relationship. She hates me and that's never going to change. Maybe you need to take a look at what's really going on here before you blame me."  
  
"You know what, I'm done talking about this with you. I'm trying to have a conversation with you and you're jumping down my throat."  
  
"Fine, I'm done talking to you period. I'm going for a drive, and when I get back I'll pack my stuff I can be out by the end of the week."  
  
"Damn it, Paris! Don't do this."  
  
"I'm not doing anything. You already chose Lex." Paris walked out the door not looking back a Lex who was calling after her.  
  
"Fuck!" Lex grabbed the glass of soda and threw it against the wall. Without looking back he stormed out of the kitchen and to his office. The maid could clean it up tomorrow.  
  
Without looking back Paris ran to the garage, grabbed her car keys, climbed in her BMW and sped out.  
  
----Later that evening----  
  
Paris drove straight down route 7 and out of Smallville, tears streaming down her face. How could he do that to her, this week of all weeks, and after everything yesterday, this was all his fault. She drove for a few hours before the snow started falling. She pulled off to the side for a few minutes, got herself back together and turned back, unfortunately for her the closer she got to Smallville the harder it started snowing. She was 20 minutes away form the castle when a pack of deer ran out of a field, one of them, a buck, ran straight into the passenger side of her car she slammed on the brakes but there were patches of black ice everywhere, her car did 3 full 360s as she spun off the road, ricocheted off a tree twice, deploying the air bags which hit her in the face causing her hear to bounce off the seat behind her, and got wedged in a snow bank. "Fucking deer." She muttered aloud, she tried to move her left hand to wipe the blood from her forehead head off her face but it was wedged between the steering wheel and the window and every time she tried to move it pain shot through her hand. "Owww." She whined as tears of pain came to her eyes. "Alright Paris, calm down. You'll get through this." She surveyed the interior of her car. She had a quarter tank of gas, the heater was going full blast, she couldn't see her headlights because the whole front end of the car was buried in the snow, the entire dash board was lit up, the passenger side window and windshield were cracked from the impact of the deer. "Well it looks like I'm getting a new car." She cut the engine because she didn't want the car to start on fire with her in it. With her good arm she tried to reach around what was left of her car, for a sweatshirt, or a jacket or a blanket but she came up empty handed. She let out a disappointed huff and wiped the trickle of blood off the left side of her face and away from her eye with her good hand. "Somebody please help me." She said weak and shivering.  
  
----Lex looked out the window and then back at the clock on his desk. Paris left at 3:00 and it was now 6:00 and the snow was coming down harder and harder. He knew she would never stay out in the snow this late without calling no matter how pissed off she was, especially since she hated driving in the snow. "Shit." He ran a worried hand over his head and went to find Albert. He walked out of his office and went to Albert's room. He knocked on the door and waited for a reply before walking in.  
  
"Come in." Albert called through the door. Lex took a breath and turned the knob.  
  
"Hey Albert, has Paris called you?"  
  
"No, why?"  
  
"She left here a few hours ago and it's starting to snow badly and she's not home yet."  
  
"Have you tried calling her cell phone?"  
  
"She didn't take it with her."  
  
"Oh. Do you think we should go looking for her?"  
  
"Yeah. I have a truck in the garage."  
  
"Alright. Let's go."  
  
Albert and Lex got bundled up and piled into the truck, they sat in uneasy silence for a while led by Lex.  
  
"So where do you think we should look first?" Albert asked.  
  
"She might just be at the Kent's so we'll try there first." Lex said, never looking at his friend, he had a bad feeling about this situation.  
  
"Who are they?"  
  
"Remember Clark?"  
  
"The tall kid with the brown hair?"  
  
"Yeah. His parents like Paris a lot so she might be there."  
  
"Why did she leave in the first place?"  
  
"We got into an argument."  
  
Albert rolled his eyes. "Gee there's a shock. What about?"  
  
"Helen."  
  
"Oh." Albert said curtly, and quieted for the rest of the ride.  
  
They pulled up to the Kent farm, luckily Lex knew the landscape well or else they ran the serious chance of driving into the pasture with all the snow that was coming down and one less person he had pissed at him the better, especially since Jonathan ha begun to warm up to him as of late. Lex cut the engine and headed to the house with Albert. After Lex rang the door bell they waited for someone to answer, hopefully the Kents were stranded here along with everybody else.  
  
"Well Merry Christmas Lex, come in." Martha said cheerfully ushering the boys into the warm, joyfully decorated, house.  
  
"Merry Christmas Mrs. Kent."  
  
"I don't believe I know you." She said looking at Albert.  
  
"I'm sorry Miss. Albert Stratford." He took Martha's hand and kissed the top.  
  
"Paris never mentioned anything about having a brother."  
  
"That is because I am her cousin. But that happens all the time."  
  
Martha nodded in understanding. Jonathan and Clark came into the room to see what all the commotion was about.  
  
"Hey Lex, Albert, what's up?"  
  
"Paris hasn't come by here at all has she?" Lex asked.  
  
"Not today no. Did she say she was coming by?" Martha asked.  
  
"Well no, she really didn't say much of anything as she stormed out of the house."  
  
"My cousin has a habit of leaving and not telling anyone where she's going. Especially if she's in a bad mood."  
  
"Why would Paris be in a bad mood?" Martha asked, confused.  
  
"Because she hates Christmas and everything it stands for." Clark said dryly.  
  
"Clark, don't be like that." Jonathan corrected his son.  
  
"Look everyone I know not liking Christmas may seem absurd to all of you. But my cousin has very good reasons for dreading this time of year. She didn't just take her day planner out one day and randomly decide to despise a holiday. When we were kids she actually used to like Christmas time."  
  
"Okay, all that aside. Has she called or anything?" Jonathan asked, looking like he missed something somewhere.  
  
"Yeah, usually Paris has her cell phone with her like everywhere." Clark piped in.  
  
Lex was getting nervous and exasperated and it was beginning to show. "She doesn't have her cell phone with her because she broke it with her computer last night after all the stuff on TV and a rather loud tongue lashing from her father and then in the papers this morning! We argued this afternoon and she took off! Now can we please get out there and find her?" Lex sounded a bit more urgent than he intended.  
  
Everyone looked at Lex stunned at his outburst, they were used to the reserved, soft spoken, cool headed Lex.  
  
"Sorry, we didn't mean to." Martha apologized to the shaken boy in front of her.  
  
Lex shook it off. "It's fine Mrs. Kent."  
  
Albert turned to Lex with a shocked and angered look on his face. "She smashed her cell with her bloody computer and you didn't bother to tell me about it. These are the kinds of things you need to tell me!"  
  
"She asked me not to. I didn't see the harm." Lex defended himself.  
  
"Well of course you didn't see that harm Lex, neither of you ever see the harm in anything until it's done! And now we don't even know where the bloody 'ell she is! You know what, I'm not even shocked, Paris and Lex vs. the world, tag team behavior, same as always."  
  
"Oh please don't give me that! She probably confides in you more than she does in me. She just didn't want you to worry about how badly she was handling this. Your opinion matters more to her than anyone else's and you know that! And if it weren't for your uncle jumping down her throat she wouldn't have smashed the phone in the first place and we wouldn't be having this conversation!"  
  
"No, if you hadn't been flirting with her in the snow yesterday she never would have snapped last night and there never would have been any added stress in an already volatile situation AND SHE WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT!" Albert yelled the last part at Lex.  
  
"SO THIS IS MY FAULT!" Lex shouted back.  
  
Clark and Jonathan stood shocked at the display that was taking place in their kitchen.  
  
"YES IT IS!"  
  
"YOU KNOW WHAT I DON'T NEED...." Lex was cut off by a high pitched whistle from Martha, everyone turned her way.  
  
"Thank you both for shutting up. Now Clark and Jonathan you head out in our truck. Lex and Albert what kind of car did you come here in?"  
  
"We took my truck."  
  
"You have a..." Clark trailed off as he realized where Lex got the truck. "Oh."  
  
"That's fine. You two head out in yours. Jonathan take our cell phone. Lex do I even need to ask if you have yours?"  
  
"No, I have mine."  
  
"What kind of car is she driving."  
  
"Black four door BMW. Licnse plate, Paris2."  
  
"Good. Lex and Albert take route 9 and Jonathan and Clark take route 7. Check in every 45 minutes, call if you see anything. Those roads get pretty nasty in whether like this you know how many accidents there can be. I will stay here in case she comes by or calls. Lex is there anyone on staff at your house tonight?"  
  
"Just some security guards."  
  
"Okay, I'll call and tell them what's going on. Everyone get moving." Martha ushered them all out of the house. 'Men' she thought to herself as they all piled into the trucks.  
  
Lex and Albert spent their trip not talking or looking the other's way, they just kept their eyes peeled for anything that looked like her car.  
  
Jonathan and Clark headed down their road and carefully looked for her car. Fortunately for Jonathan Clark could do the scanning for the both of them.  
  
"Dad I can get out and do this on foot it would probably be faster."  
  
"Yes, but what happens if you do find her and I'm 6 miles away. It may be easier for you Clark but it's not as safe for everyone else."  
  
"I guess you're right. Dad stop I think I see something." They were on route 7, 20 miles from Lex's castle. "It's up there on the left. It's a BMW!"  
  
"Alright son. Calm down." Jonathan guided the truck where Clark was pointing. He hadn't even put the car in park when Clark jumped out of the passenger side and ran into the ditch on the side of the road that held Paris' car.  
  
"Dad stay there!" Clark yelled to his father. "Get a blanket!" Clark scanned the accident site, he could see Paris in the car shivering and passed out and her wrist pinned against the door, and if he X-rayed further he could see her heart beating slowly. "Okay Paris I'm here." He pulled the car as far out of the snow as he needed then opened the door. Lucky for him Paris didn't see any of that. When he got the door open Paris stirred a bit, but didn't open her eyes or say anything.  
  
"Here's the blanket son!" Jonathan tossed the heavy wool blanket down to him.  
  
He quickly undid her seatbelt, wrapped the blanket around her slender body and headed back up to the truck. "Dad we need to get her to the hospital now, she's in shock and may have hypothermia.  
  
"Okay, we'll call your mother when we get there." They got back in the cab. "Shouldn't you put her in the middle, in front of the heater son?"  
  
"Dad I'm like a human heater, she'll be better off I just hold onto her."  
  
"Alright." Jonathan started the truck and headed to the hospital.  
  
Clark made sure her head, torso, and as much of her legs as possible were safely cocooned in the blanket., he tucked her head under his chin and held her as tight as possible without further injuring her. "I think her wrist may be broken, and she looks like she might need some stitches in her forehead near her eye."  
  
"The doctors will take care of that. You just make sure she warms up a bit." The ride to the hospital was long and tense because of the weather, Clark was relieved to see the bright letters come into view as they pulled up. Jonathan let him out at the emergency room door and went to park. Clark burst inside the emergency room, carrying an unconscious Paris and ran to the front desk.  
  
"We need help now. She was in a car accident and she's frozen."  
  
The nurse got up from behind the desk, grabbed the nearest gurney and put Paris on it. "Page Dr. Bryce." She instructed someone behind the desk.  
  
"Dr. Bryce. Paging Dr. Helen Bryce to the ER. Dr. Bryce to the ER."  
  
"Okay son, your friend is going to be just fine, wait out here and we'll take good care of her."  
  
Helen ran into the ER. "What do we have?"  
  
"Female, car accident. She doesn't have any ID on her. This young man brought her in."  
  
Helen looked at Clark. "Thank you." She turned back to the nurse. "Paris Stratford, female age 23." She started try and get Paris' attention. "Paris look at me, Paris wake up." She patted her cheeks and opened her eyes to see if they were responsive.  
  
"How do you know all that?" The nurse looked at her confused.  
  
"She lives with my boyfriend." Helen said sardonically, the nurse just lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "Pupils fixed and dilated. She's in shock! We need warm blanket and an IV kit. Clark we're taking her down the hall, I'll be out to get you when she's stable." Helen disappeared with the nurse and Paris.  
  
"Clark I'm going to call your mother. Have a seat."  
  
"No I'll call Lex from the pay phone."  
  
"Alright."  
  
Clark's fingers trembled as he dialed the number.  
  
The ringer was louder than normal in the quiet truck. "Hello?" Lex answered, not taking his eyes off the road as he flipped his one open.  
  
"Lex it's Clark. We found Paris."  
  
"That's great. Is she going home?"  
  
"Not exactly. She's in the hospital."  
  
Lex sobered as his face paled. "Which one?"  
  
"Smallville general."  
  
"We'll be right there." Lex hung up and dropped the phone in the cup holder.  
  
"Where is she?" Albert looked at him worried.  
  
"In the hospital."  
  
Albert nodded as Lex turned the truck around and sped to the hospital. The ride was a long and tense one but they got there in one piece. They came running through the doors and straight into the Kent men.  
  
"Mr. Kent where did they take my cousin?" Albert asked anxiously.  
  
"Albert she is going to be fine. Dr. Bryce is her doctor and she is very good at what she does."  
  
Albert snorted. "Oh this is going to be interesting."  
  
"Shut up." Lex said heatedly to his friend, leveling him with a glare. "When can we see her?" He asked turning back to Jonathan.  
  
"I don't know, she said she would come to get us when we could. So now we wait. Clark why don't you go get us some coffee from the cafeteria."  
  
"Sure dad."  
  
"I'll go with you Clark." Lex said.  
  
They headed down the hall leaving Albert with Jonathan.  
  
"So you're Paris' cousin?" Jonathan asked, hoping to calm him down.  
  
"Yeah, we're pretty close. She's better to me than my own sister is."  
  
"You have a sister?"  
  
"Yep, and a brother in law and a mum and a dad and an uncle and a slightly senile grandmum and a few other relatives who are disappointed in ,my lifestyle choices, to say the least. Well accept maybe Gran, like I said she's not all there anymore. And we are all one big miserable dysfunctional family."  
  
Jonathan looked at him quizzically.  
  
Albert blushed a little and scuffed the floor. "Sorry to lay than on you Mr. Kent."  
  
"Please call me Jonathan." He extended his hand to him.  
  
Albert shook it and smiled a bit. "Alright, I am sorry to lay that all on you Jonathan. But when it comes to high pressure situations I'm almost useless."  
  
Jonathan took a seat. "I understand, have a seat you look like you could use the rest."  
  
"If I sit I'll jiggle my leg and I'm so nervous I could probably make the hospital shake. I'm better pacing."  
  
"So giving you coffee is a great idea?" Jonathan joked.  
  
Albert chuckled a bit. "Yeah I guess that was a bad judgment call." Albert shook his head and laughed. "When we were in boarding school Paris and I made a bet one Saturday after studying for mid terms non stop. Who could drink the most Red Bull? Somewhere around my 8th I wet on a 5 mile run. They came and got me because I crashed so hard that I could barely walk. When they got to me Paris was asleep in the passenger seat. I shared a dorm with Lex and Bruce and she had decided to power clean our dorm room that afternoon. Every CD and movie was in alphabetical order, and my closet was arranged by color and type of shirt. She even got into Lex's books and Dewey decimaled them."  
  
Jonathan smiled at the story. "You and Paris went to the same boarding school? Aren't they usually non co-ed?"  
  
"Not anymore. Almost everyone in our family including my sister went to Excelsior. When Aunt Yvonne was alive she didn't want Paris that far from home, and Excelsior's in England, so she went to some upstate New York boarding school. But after she died Paris managed to get herself thrown out of 3 schools even though Lex holds the record at 7. Excelsior was a last chance for her and she managed to stay there for the last 2 years of high school. Those were the best years of my life and I think Bruce and Lex feel the same way. See everyone went through school pigeon holed. Bruce was the moody loner, Lex was the troubled bald kid and I was the gay one. And when Paris came none of that mattered she was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stifling existence. Even though she resided in the alterna-punk bad girl from New York hole. I can't believe all this crap is happening to her. If it weren't for her..." Albert trailed off and sat down, rested his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands.  
  
Jonathan looked at Albert with a fatherly look on his face. "She's going to be fine."  
  
Lex and Clark came down the hall holding coffees in their hands. Clark handed one to his dad and Lex handed one to Albert.  
  
"Thanks mate." Albert gratefully took the coffee and smiled at his friend.  
  
"So what, now we wait?" Clark asked.  
  
"Basically son. We have to let the doctors work."  
  
"Hey Lex, I told him the Red Bull story." Albert said shakily.  
  
Lex laughed. "Yeah, you go for a run and Bruce and I get locked out of our room so Paris can clean. And Paris doesn't clean."  
  
"How'd she manage to get the two of you out of your room? I mean, you're bigger than her and there were two of you." Clark asked.  
  
"I don't know. It was kind of like a tornado came in and just moved us. One minute I was watching TV, the next I was in the hall still holding the remote." Lex chuckled. "She's a handful."  
  
"To say the least." Albert agreed. "Remember when she got there and her hair was bright pink for the entire first year, and it's not like we didn't know about it but the faculty and staff didn't know what to do with her. But it was her hair and that's how she wanted it and no one tells Paris what to do.."  
  
"Well when there are 3 buildings and 2 dorms in your family name, they tend to give you a bit of lee way. Didn't she get into an argument with the ballet instructor because she wanted her to dye it back for The Nutcracker?"  
  
"I remember that. They finally compromised and got her to wear a wig." Lex and Albert smiled fondly at the memory.  
  
Helen walked into the waiting room and smiled upon seeing Lex. All four men rushed toward her. "She's awake now and she's going to be fine. Her left wrist has a minor hairline fracture it's in a cast now, we cleaned her cut and put liquid stitches on it, and she's under warming blankets. You can see her one at a time."  
  
"You two can stay and see her, we'll be going." Jonathan said.  
  
"Alright. Thank you Mr. Kent."  
  
"Thank you, Jonathan and Clark. Have a good evening."  
  
They left Lex and Albert with Helen.  
  
"Well she's your cousin." Lex gestured for Albert to go ahead of him.  
  
Albert nodded in understanding. "Hey, mate, before I go back there. You know I don't actually think any of this is your fault. That back there was all just stress talking."  
  
"I know. Now go see Paris before she comes looking for you." Lex and Albert shook hands.  
  
"What room is she in?" He asked Helen.  
  
"114, straight down the hall."  
  
"Thank you Helen." He hugged her then left.  
  
Helen turned to Lex. "That was a wonderful thing Mr. Kent and Clark did tonight. I don't know what would have happened if they weren't there. She couldn't have survived more than another hour out there."  
  
Lex became serious. "I don't want to think about it. Helen I know you don't like her at all, but she is my friend and she needs me. She isn't leaving until she's ready. But she's not you."  
  
Helen put on a serious face. "I understand. I get off my shift around 9:00, I'll be by later." Helen gave him a small kiss. "I have to get back to work."  
  
----Paris' hospital room----  
  
Albert quietly creped into Paris' room as not to disturb her. Seeing Paris laying helpless in a hospital bed, for the first time he thought he knew a fraction of what it must have been like for Paris to watch her mother dying and not being able to do a thing about it. Upon seeing her he felt grateful and scared and relieved and the entire time the devil's advocate in his head was whispering 'What if'. He closed the door carefully with a little click. Paris stirred in her bed and looked over at him.  
  
"Hey Albie." She smiled brightly, but still looked tired and broken. Her wrist was in a cast and there was an IV in her right hand and there was a breathing tube in her nose. "Well here's a happy ending to yet another miserable, failure of a Christmas. Maybe next year we can burn the house down."  
  
"Nah, next year is definitely avalanche at the ski cabin with the entire Stratford clan." Albert gave a half smile as he walked over to his cousin's bed. "Don't scare me like that anymore okay?" He gave her a small hug, afraid of further damaging her.  
  
"Agreed, especially since I hate hospitals. Where's Lex, or is he still mad at me?"  
  
"He's out there. I heard you two had words before you left."  
  
"We both have short tempers, let's leave it at that."  
  
"Oh, and your cell phone?"  
  
"I told him no to say anything to you. For a guy who values privacy, he has such a big mouth lately."  
  
"He didn't tell me because he wanted to. He did it because of the stress. It's not his fault. The bloke was worried, and people were asking a lot of questions."  
  
"I guess. It's not like my whole life isn't fodder for the late shows any way."  
  
"You'll see, in a few days Jessica Simpson will say something stupid, or Brittney Spears will say that she's still a virgin, or Bush will declare war on Finland and you'll be old news." He smiled at her reassuringly.  
  
She gave a chuckle. "I don't think I'll be going to Fiji. Being broken and all."  
  
"That's okay, we always have next year."  
  
"Nope, next year I will be in a bomb shelter with a year's worth of supplies and a TV assuring that nothing bad will happen to me and I'm not coming out until Three Kings Day."  
  
"Well your TV could break."  
  
"Pessimist."  
  
"Says the woman designing a holiday bomb shelter." They laughed. "Seriously you've hit a rough patch of Christmases but they'll get better."  
  
"No they won't. The only Christmases worth having were the ones she was here for, everything since then has been crap and you know it. Even after Lillian died we always celebrated with Lex and Lionel. She dies and I don't see Lex for almost a year afterward. Due to some kind of conflict between the Paters, the origins of which are still not known to said offspring. Not to mention the laundry list of misfortunes that seem to pop up around the holidays including this week's spectacle. There is no coincidence. Christmas is a sham and I choose to abstain from said sham."  
  
Albert looked at her soberly. "I'm sorry you feel that way Peanut, I really do." Just then someone knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in." Paris called from the bed.  
  
Lex opened the door and walked in. "Well look who finally decided go out and mingle with people. We really must come here more often, the food is horrible, the coffee's stale and the TVs get 3 stations." Lex walked over and gave her a hug. "You really had us scared for awhile there. Don't do that again. Okay?"  
  
Paris nodded in agreement. "Besides I don't think my car insurance covers act of deer."  
  
"You hit a deer?" Lex asked, shocked.  
  
"Actually the deer hit me, but yes there was a collision with a deer, a buck to be exact, the horns are probably lodged in my hood somewhere."  
  
"So what you're saying is not only is this the second car wrecked on Christmas, but this is the second car you have had wrecked by a deer around Christmas. So this is the third car to meet a gory Christmas end."  
  
The group exchanged glances and laughed. "That is exactly what I'm saying. But if you remember correctly, you wrecked my grandfather's car that Christmas not me, I was a passenger. "  
  
"We were 14, I think we were all to blame for that little joy ride."  
  
"Except me, as I remember I was a hostage to your Bonnie and Clyde." Albert chimed in.  
  
"You loved it and you know it." Paris retorted.  
  
"Right, what part of 'oh my god stop, we're all going to die,' sounded like loving it?"  
  
Paris rolled her eyes at him. "And the other car was just a rogue deer in Westchester N.Y."  
  
The nurse from earlier came walking into he room. "Alright you two I think it's time to let the patient get some sleep. Will either of you be staying the night?"  
  
"No, they're both going home." Paris replied.  
  
"Are you sure?" Albert asked.  
  
"I'm a big girl, I think I can handle one night in a hospital alone. Besides you secretly know you're glad you won't be sleeping in one of those chairs." She winked at him mischievously.  
  
"Alright, but if you need anything don't hesitate call."  
  
"I wont."  
  
They all bid their good nights. As Albert was walking out of the room Paris called him back.  
  
"What do you need luv?"  
  
"Nothing. Remember when we left Excelsior after graduation?"  
  
"Sort of."  
  
"Do you remember the conversation we had in the car?"  
  
"The one where you were crying?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Parts."  
  
"Did you ever tell any of that to Lex?"  
  
"No. Why do you ask?"  
  
"No special reason."  
  
"Alright." He looked skeptical.  
  
"Good night Albert."  
  
"Good night Paris." Albert left the room quietly.  
  
----Graduation night and the day after graduation, Excelsior Prep, England, May 20, 1998----  
  
Grad night.  
  
Lex couldn't sleep, Paris on the other hand was sleeping on top of him dead to the world, but that's not the point. Lex looked around Paris's now vacant bedroom, the walls that used to sport posters were now bare everything that made her room fun and homey was gone, all that was left was her bed and a few suitcases, everyone's big furniture and things they didn't need were sent home a few days ago, a sad smile crossed his lips as he remembered the many days and nights he and his friends had spent laying around the room, doing their homework, watching TV, drinking, smoking pot, laughing, hatching ingenious plans, crawling out the windows, the days and nights he and Paris spent in there alone etc. He peered down at Paris's sleeping form, her hair was wild and unkempt falling loose and curling after hours of love making, when she moved her head the ends tickled Lex's naked chest. He could see her tattoo, he idly traced the outline of the flower with his finger. Her left leg was slung over his, her left hand rested on his chest and the right was on the pillow next to her. He loved nights like these, they didn't even need to have sex, he just loved the feeling of sleeping next to her, she was beautiful and smart and funny and loving and his. Well until tomorrow at least, tomorrow life at Excelsior would only be a memory and he would be separated from Paris and he didn't know how long for. He would be starting Met U in the fall, Lionel wanted to keep him close so he could keep an eye on him, and she would be busy in California. Their father's surely wouldn't understand them dating, he could just imagine the inevitable argument that would ensue if the subject were ever breached, that's why he wanted tonight to last for as long as he could make it, there was no definite tomorrow for them.  
  
Paris woke up and shifted. "Hey." She said happily, yet groggy. "What're you doing still up? I figured after the third or fourth time your brain would have stopped working."  
  
He smiled down at her and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm just thinking about stuff."  
  
"Anything interesting."  
  
"Not particularly."  
  
"Well then you should try and get some sleep, tomorrow's going to be a pain in the ass."  
  
"I can't. I don't want tomorrow to come. I want to stay here, with you."  
  
"Oh. I've been trying not to think about that much."  
  
"How can you not? Do you even realize what tomorrow is?"  
  
"Lex I know what tomorrow is. Tomorrow is the last time we'll see each other until at least July, and then who knows after that. Tomorrow is the end of an era. Tomorrow is D-day for our little family."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"But staying up all night worrying yourself won't help. Believe me. Please try to get some sleep, I'll feel better knowing you got at least some sleep."  
  
"Alright." Paris moved so she was lying on her back and Lex was lying on her chest. He started rubbing circles on her bars stomach and she lightly stroked his scalp in a soothing way. "Paris."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Promise me something."  
  
"Anything."  
  
"Promise me that you won't leave me behind."  
  
"Why would I leave you behind?"  
  
"I don't know. But just promise me that no matter what happens we'll always be there for each other."  
  
"Okay I promise." She kissed the top of his head.  
  
The next morning  
  
After breakfast the next morning everyone went to their rooms to get the last of their belongings and meet their rides home. Paris grabbed her suitcase and backpack and headed upstairs to see Lex.  
  
She walked inside Lex, Albert and Bruce's room. Everyone's stuff was waiting and ready to go. The boys were just sitting around talking, Albert had his video camera out.  
  
"Hey Paris have any last parting words for our old friend the video camera?" Albert asked.  
  
"No I think me and Mr. Video camera have said all we need to say to each other. Can I actually have a minute alone with Lex? I'll see you downstairs when the limo gets here."  
  
"Sure. Come on Bruce I think we should get going anyway."  
  
"Later Paris."  
  
"Bye Bruce." Paris and Bruce hugged before the boys left the room.  
  
Lex waited until they were gone to ask her what was up. "Hey beautiful, why so glum?" Lex asked as he walked up to her.  
  
"I don't want to go." She whispered softly, looking at the floor.  
  
"What are you talking about?" He asked tilting her chin up to look her in the eyes.  
  
"I don't want to go, I know I've been going on all week about how graduating is so great and how I'm so excited about leaving, but I don't want to leave this place, I don't want to wake up tomorrow morning and not have you next to me or on the next floor." Her chin started trembling.  
  
"Oh babe come here." Lex hugged her tightly. "I know you don't want to leave."  
  
"Lex when I get home all hell is going to break loose and I don't think I can do that alone. Not again. Please can't we just use our trust funds and get an apartment in the city? Or buy a house in a cute little town in Maine or Massachusetts? It's not like we can't afford it."  
  
"As much as I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I plan on doing so, we need to face the music sometime."  
  
"No we don't, we're rich."  
  
"Paris."  
  
"Lex please, I love you and I don't want to go back to my father."  
  
"I know you don't. I don't either, but we have to, for a little while."  
  
"Lex I don't think I'll be able to survive on E-mail and phone calls for the next two months."  
  
"What about AIM?"  
  
"Lex."  
  
"I know. Look I love you and you love me right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And nothing in the world can change that right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So we're fine right?"  
  
"I guess."  
  
"Good." Lex dipped his head and kissed her passionately, they didn't separate until they needed air.  
  
"What was that for?" Paris asked breathlessly.  
  
"I needed to get one last fix before we left."  
  
"Oh. Well in that case." Paris grabbed the collar of his shirt and kissed him hard and passionately. "I was returning the gesture."  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
"Come on we have to go." Lex took Paris's hand as they walked down to the lobby of their dorm. When they got to the front doors they knew that the people waiting for them outside were hired by their fathers so they couldn't trust them with their secret, they separated and Lex let Paris out ahead of him.  
  
"See ya around." Lex said nonchalantly.  
  
"You wish." Paris ribbed him.  
  
"You're not as hot as you think you are Stratford."  
  
"And you wouldn't know unless you were looking."  
  
"Hardly."  
  
"Bite me Luthor."  
  
They exchanged smiles and went to their waiting limos.  
  
Paris took a last look back at Lex before he got into his limo and then climbed into hers. She sat on the back bench seat and on her knees looking out the back window like a child. Silent tears were streaming down her cheeks. Albert said nothing.  
  
"Ms. Stratford, I'm going to have to insist that you turn around and sit properly before we can depart." The driver stated.  
  
Paris reluctantly turned around and sat back in her seat. Albert put the privacy glass up.  
  
Paris shifted in her seat so she could see Lex's limo out the back window as they pulled away.  
  
"What's wrong Paris?" Albert asked concerned.  
  
"You know the part at the end of the movie where the guy comes running up to the girls car, he runs right in front of the car and the driver slams on the brakes. And after the driver stops the girl sees the guy standing in front of the car and is totally puzzled. So she gets out of the car and asks him what he's doing there. And he walks up to her and says, 'I couldn't let you go. I love you.' and the girl says 'I love you too.' And throws her arms around the guys neck and they kiss and live happily ever after 'The End.'"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Where's my happy ending?"  
  
"You'll get it Peanut, don't worry."  
  
----Present day Smallville----  
  
Paris Stratford slept soundly in her hospital bed due to the pain killers and sleeping pill the nurse had given her.  
  
----The next day----  
  
Paris was released from the hospital the next morning and spent the rest of the day sleeping in her own bed while people waited on her. Albert and Lex wouldn't have it any other way.  
  
Clark stopped by in the afternoon to drop off some baked goods from his mother and some apple cider. He went to the office to see Lex.  
  
"Hey Clark. What brings you by?"  
  
"Just a special post-holiday feel better delivery for all of you. Mom sent over some bakery along with a gallon of apple cider."  
  
"I'll be sure to call her later and thank her."  
  
"Hey Lex can I ask you a stupid question?"  
  
"Why don't you ask it first then we'll decide whether or not it's stupid?"  
  
"Why does Paris hate Christmas?"  
  
Lex cringed a bit but slipped back into his cool demeanor. "Her mom died 5 days before Christmas, the funeral was only a few days before the holiday. Christmas was Yvonne's favorite holiday, she always made sure the house was beautifully decorated and it smelled wonderful and that everyone just had a great time, our families always spent the holidays together. After my mom died I always spent Christmas with them even if my father wasn't there, after she died nothing was ever the same, it wasn't as festive. That next year was particularly tough on her she got into tons of trouble, and that's putting it mildly. A few years after that she came to Excelsior and we started dating, everything was great until our father's found out. After that we pretended like we had broken up and continued dating but they knew differently. They were putting excessive pressure on both of us to end it once and for all, Paris cracked first and I took it out on her, we didn't talk for a long time after that. We broke up December 21 1998. There are way more things to add to the list but they're for another time, when she can tell you."  
  
Clark understood. "I wish there was a way to reverse it all for her."  
  
"I think you started that last night. Helen told me that if you and your father hadn't come along when you did she may have well died. I don't think Albert or I would have ever recovered from that. We owe you a lot Clark."  
  
"It was nothing. I did what was right. Any of yo would have done that too. I have to get home, mom needs me to help with some chores."  
  
"Bye Clark." Lex bid him farewell.  
  
"Bye Lex." Clark left  
  
----Later that evening----  
  
Paris was feeling up to walking around the house a bit and decided to go to her office and call Mackenzie, but first she checked her voice mail.  
  
After a few boring voice mails she was about to hang up when a familiar, almost lyrical voice came through on the other end.  
  
"Hey Paris it's your old pal Jack. I just wanted to call and tell you that you won't be hearing any more from you ex in the press. We had a bit of a chat and he decided to drop the case against you and make a public apology. I've got to be going I just thought I'd give you a heads up on that. Can't wait to see you back here. Have a good holiday."  
  
Paris hung up the phone and sat back in her chair with a grin on her face. "If people knew what a softie Jack Nicholson really was."  
  
End Chapter. This took me over a month to write, be kind rewind. 


	9. Waiter there's a bug in my soup

A.N.: Obviously my time line will be different from the WB because I don't have sweeps week and hiatus. Paris was there for Skinwalker and Visage, she left for a week in New York in between Visage and Insurgence.  
  
----The sex office starring Sexy Lexy----  
  
Lex was sitting behind his desk with a none-too-pleased expression on his face directed at the man across from him. "I was under the impression that the deal had closed." His tine dangerous and controlled.  
  
"Mr. Luthor, I'm sorry." The lawyer apologized.  
  
"I don't want "I'm sorry." I want to know how the hell my father beat me out of a 150-million dollar contract that you assured me was a done deal!"  
  
"The only way they would have known the exact dollar amount was if they had inside information."  
  
"And since you and I were the only ones who knew about it, and I certainly didn't tell my father, that leaves you in a very uncomfortable position."  
  
"If I no longer have your confidence, I'll tender my resignation in the morning."  
  
Lex got up from behind the desk and walked angrily toward his lawyer.  
  
Lex's tone was threatening. "My father would want more than your resignation. He'd hobble you at the knees and do everything in his power to insure you'd never work in the corporate world again."  
  
The lawyer swallowed fearfully, and slowly turned to leave. As he did, Lex called after him, his voice still angry, but not threatening. As Lex spoke, the lawyer turned to face him.  
  
"But I'm not my father. All I want to know is how he found out. And how I can stop it from ever happening again."  
  
The lawyer nodded in understanding, a grateful look on his face as he realized Lex is not going to destroy him. The lawyer turned and walked quickly from the room.  
  
Lex watched his lawyer leave, then turned and leaned on his desk, his face a mask of controlled fury. He glanced down and his gaze fell on a magazine featuring a picture of himself and Lionel, with the headline, "Will The Son Surpass The Father?". With a growl of anger, Lex swept his arm across his desk, knocking everything--magazine, papers, computer monitor, flower vase-- to the floor in frustration.  
  
Lex collected himself, then walked over to the mess. He knelt down and begins gathering up the pieces. He picked up a flower bud which was inside the vase of flowers on his desk. As he looked at it, he noticed a tiny, thin needle sticking out from the top of the bud. He pulled the needle out to reveal a tiny listening device hidden inside the flower. A look of realization crossed Lex's face as he glanced around his office, now knowing how Lionel got his inside information. Lex ran his hand furiously over his smooth head. "SHIT!" He exclaimed angrily as he realized that his father had quite possibly bugged the entire mansion. He looked down and caught sight of his lap top that he had managed to not throw on the floor. He picked it up and put it back on the desk. He pushed the power button and it beeped and whirred just as it always had, his login screen popped up. "That son of a bitch." Lex stormed out of his office in search of Paris.  
  
He didn't even bother knocking on her door, he knew she was probably still asleep, so he threw the door open and barged in. "Paris wake up!"  
  
Paris was still asleep and showed no signs of movement, her arm still in a cast though now it was blue.  
  
"PARIS WAKE UP NOW!" Lex yelled at the top of his lungs as he threw the heavy drapes open, letting the early morning sun into her room.  
  
Paris buried her head in her pillow and pulled the blanket over her head. "It's Saturday, leave me alone." She mumbled from under her cocoon.  
  
Lex walked over to the bed and ripped the sheets off.  
  
She turned her head to the side, keeping her eyes closed and yelled at Lex. "GO AWAY! I HAVE BEEN IN NEW YORK ALL WEEK AND I GOT IN AT 4:00 THIS MORNING I NEED MY SLEEP!"  
  
Lex grabbed the remote off her night stand and turned her stereo on full blast. Paris shot up in bed, he heart beating rapidly in her chest. "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?" She yelled over the rock music blaring out of the speakers, and covered her ears, successfully whacking her left ear with her cast. "Ow."  
  
"NO!" Lex yelled back. He sat down next to her so they could hear each other without shouting. "My father bugged the house, I've already found a bunch of cameras and microphones in my office. God knows what the rest of the place holds."  
  
She tried to rub her eyes but only half succeeded, accidentally hitting herself in the face with her cast due to her lack of sleep. "Ow." She rubbed her left eye awkwardly with her right hand. "Why would he do that?"  
  
"How pissed is he at us?"  
  
"Good point. Okay minus the conspiracy theory, why the hell did you wake me up?"  
  
"He just inched me out of a business deal at the 11th hour. I need you to check out my computer and see if he's installed anything on there."  
  
"Lex I haven't done that in awhile."  
  
"I know, but you're the only person I can trust to do it right."  
  
"Alright let me get dressed."  
  
----10 Minutes later Lex's office----  
  
Paris was sitting behind Lex's desk examining his computer. "Alright he has an echo program attached to your e-mail, basically it sends him a copy of everything you send and receive. He's also downloading all your cookies."  
  
"Okay the e-mails I understand but why the cookies?"  
  
"Because he wants to know what else you're researching so he can get in before you do."  
  
"Alright can you un-install it?"  
  
"Yeah. It'll take me a few hours to do that, then I'll reconfigure your hard drive plus I have to re do all of your routers. Do you want the signal to bounce off Asia or Iceland?"  
  
"Don't care." Lex said as he searched his office for more devices.  
  
"Alright. I'm also putting up new fire walls and new security. You're going to be quadruple password protected. Unplug this thing from the internet once in awhile. Hey now what's this?"  
  
"Something new?"  
  
"Yeah. He's also looking through your portfolio and some other software. I'm going to use my computer to scan all your disks."  
  
----Later that afternoon ----  
  
The office is in a state of disarray--tables overturned or covered with objects from other parts of the room. Rock music blared from the speakers, Lex was tearing apart his bookcases, flinging the books to the floor. Glancing at a painting on the wall, Lex reached down and picked up a metal bar from his desk. He walked over to the painting and used the edge of bar to rip the canvas to shreds.  
  
Clark opened the door, pushing a chair out of the way, and glanced around in confusion at the trashed office as Lex continued to rip apart the painting.  
  
"Lex, what's going on?" Clark asked confused.  
  
Lex glanced up, but didn't answer. He dropped the painting and put a finger to his lips, shushing Clark. Walking over to the stereo, Lex turned the music up several notches, then walked toward Clark.  
  
"Big Brother is listening, or should I say "Big Daddy"?" He indicated to his desk. "These are just what I found so far." Several listening devices and tiny cameras were scattered across Lex's desk. Lex picked up one and showed it to Clark, who took it and examined it. "State of the art in high- tech surveillance. I'm going to have to bring in a team of experts to sweep the rest of mansion."  
  
"What are you saying, your dad's spying on you?" Clark said with disbelief.  
  
"I had the inside track on a multi-million dollar contract. At the last minute, LuthorCorp manages to underbid me. You do the math."  
  
"Lex, you got to calm down..."  
  
Lex got angry. "Don't tell me to calm down, Clark! How would you feel if someone were listening to every private word you uttered, learning all your secrets?"  
  
Clark considered this for a moment, as Lex went back to trashing the office looking for bugs. Clark glanced around, and focused his X-Ray vision on Lex's bookshelves. His eyes widened at what he saw.  
  
"Lex. These devices could be anywhere. They could be in the sofa cushions or the heating vents." Clark said worriedly.  
  
"I already checked." Lex said dismissively.  
  
"What about your stereo?"  
  
Lex walked over to his bookshelf, and peered through the glass doors protecting the stereo system. He saw a hidden camera raised the metal bar in his hand and swung it toward the stereo.  
  
Paris walked in balancing his computer on her casted hand still looking at the screen perplexed. "Lex there's a problem. He installed a few fail safes."  
  
"What's that mean?"  
  
"It means I tried to fix your computer and it's completely frozen, every time I try something new it just gets rejected or erased. I've already lost three CDs full of software to this thing. I've never seen anything like this. This is like the Labyrinth of computer technology."  
  
"Well you have been out of practice."  
  
Paris got defensive. "I'm not out of practice. This is high tech FBI, CIA shit. The government uses these programs to track suspected terrorists, alright. Bill Gates isn't cracking this. I'm sorry but your computer's toast." She shook her head.  
  
"Well then there's only one thing to do." He walked up to her, grabbed the computer out of her hand, turned and threw it against the wall behind him, shattering the machine.  
  
"Jesus Christ!" Paris yelled in surprise.  
  
"Lex, are you alright?" Clark asked.  
  
"I'm great Clark, never better." Lex said over cheerful. "Dude I'm getting a Dell." Lex said triumphantly as he went back to tearing the place apart.  
  
Clark looked shocked by the entire scene. Paris walked over to Clark. "Clark you can go if you want to." She said softly.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"We'll be fine."  
  
"Alright. Give me a call if you need anything."  
  
She nodded her head 'yes'. "Will do." There was a crash, Lex dropped a vase. When Paris turned around to see what fell behind her Clark did a quick X-Ray of the room. "It looks like he's gotten everything in here." Clark said as she turned around and looked at him confused.  
  
Clark left them alone.  
  
Paris walked over to a cabinet that Lex was currently pulling the contents out of.  
  
"Lex." No answer. "Lex." She walked closer and stood next to him. "Lex!" She said a bit more forcefully, laying her good hand on his shoulder. "Lex stop this!"  
  
Lex snapped out of his blind rage and looked at her. He thre his hands up in defeat. "How can I Paris? What am I going to do? I can't let him win." He leaned up against the book case and slid to the floor. "I can't win." He said sadly, his face was more pale than normal and he was panting from lack of breath, the adrenaline in his system had worn off leaving him exhausted.  
  
Paris knelt down in front of him and put her hands on his shoulders. "Lex look at me." He did. "We're going to figure this out. And we're going to make him pay for doing this to you."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I don't know but together we're smarter than him. We managed to outsmart him once, we can do it again."  
  
Lex just nodded numbly.  
  
"Alright. I'll get someone in here to clean this up. You get some sleep, you look worn out."  
  
Lex shook his head 'no'.  
  
"Yes. Just take a nap for an hour. I'll wake you up myself."  
  
"Can I sleep on the couch in your office?"  
  
"I'm going to be doing some work in there. Are you sure I won't disturb you?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine." He said, staring out into space.  
  
"Sure. Let's go."  
  
----Kent farm----  
  
"Hey, Dad, you want me to make this extra crispy for you?" Clark asked, indicating to a plate of friend chicken.  
  
"No thanks, but if I do say so myself, I've cooked this bird to a golden brown perfection, just the way your mother likes it."  
  
"So how come you guys aren't going to Metropolis this year for your anniversary?"  
  
"Well it seems to me last year while we were out of town a certain somebody had a party at our house?" Jonathan said dryly.  
  
"Yeah, you know what, I think a picnic sounds perfect."  
  
Martha came down the stairs, dressed in a business suit with a overnight bag in her hand. "So do I. But I can't go." She said, disappointedly.  
  
Jonathan was shocked. "Wait--wait a minute. What do you mean you can't go?"  
  
"Lionel just called. LuthorCorp's finalizing a major acquisition tomorrow, and he needs me to go with him to his Metropolis office to prepare."  
  
"Didn't you tell him it's your anniversary, Mom?"  
  
"I'll be back tomorrow night. We can celebrate then. Any restaurant you want."  
  
"What are you going to do, put it on your LuthorCorp expense account?" Jonathan asked heatedly.  
  
Martha sighed, she didn't have time for this no matter how much she knew he was right. "Oh, Jonathan. You can't make me feel any worse about it than I already do. I know how hard you worked planning today, but I don't have a choice. He's my boss."  
  
"So, I'm your husband."  
  
"Believe me, I'd much rather spend the day with you, but this job is important to me."  
  
Jonathan: I never thought I'd see the day when this job was more important to you than this family.  
  
"You know what? Dad's right. You shouldn't be working for Lionel Luthor anyway."  
  
"Clark..."  
  
"No. The only way that he got this major acquisition was by spying on Lex. Besides it's not like he's blind anymore, so he really doesn't need ANOTHER assistant."  
  
"Clark! This is between your mother and I."  
  
"Jonathan, how many times have you put this farm above our personal lives?"  
  
"That is different, Martha."  
  
"Why? I'm working toward the same goal--our family's financial security. I wish this job didn't bother you so much."  
  
Martha looked between Jonathan and Clark before resigning to her decision. "I have to go."  
  
----Lex's study----  
  
After his nap and some lunch Paris managed to get Lex calm enough to talk to his father without throwing the old man out the window.  
  
Lionel walked in, looking unimpressed with is son's request to see him. "All right, Lex. What's so urgent?"  
  
Lex was standing on the level above the main office floor. Lex's tone was casual, too casual. "Remember the new American embassy in Moscow?"  
  
"Uh-huh." Lionel wasn't taking the bait.  
  
Lex came down. "It was so riddled with surveillance hardware, the State Department had to abandon it."  
  
Lionel rolled his eyes. "I've got a meeting, Lex. I don't have time to chat about foreign affairs."  
  
"Actually Dad the topic is domestic. I've discovered a bug problem right here in my very own home." Lex gestured to the office.  
  
Lionel chuckled. "Hahaha. Corporate espionage? It's a fact of modern business, Lex. I'm surprised your security was so lax."  
  
Lionel turned to leave the room.  
  
"Still, it's hard to imagine how the perpetrator could have gained access to the mansion."  
  
Lionel stopped where he was and sniffed the air. "Do I detect a faint whiff of innuendo?"  
  
Lex walked to Lionel. "Of course not, Dad. I just wanted to congratulate you on winning that contract."  
  
"Oh, is that what this is about? Making an excuse for your defeat? Hmm?" Lionel was amused. Lex just stared coldly. "Because I don't have time for excuses." Lionel continued to the door but stopped. "As for your bug problem, I suggest you call an exterminator."  
  
As Lionel left Lex just stared at the door. Hic cell phone rang and he attached a voice device before answering. "This is Mr. Green."  
  
On the other end. "I finished the appraisal that you requested, and we're ready to close escrow."  
  
"How soon can you complete the transaction?" Lex's voice was distorted on the other end due to the device.  
  
"Today. We're on site and ready to roll. We can get you full access to the property--audio and video. Do we have a go?" Lex didn't answer right away. "Mr. Green, are you there? Mr. Green?"  
  
"Do it." Lex said firmly.  
  
----Later on in casa de luthor----  
  
Lex dialed a call but soon disconnected it when Clark walked in.  
  
"Lex, what's the most romantic restaurant in Metropolis?"  
  
"Well, I'm sure there are a lot of opinions on that Clark, but, uh, personally I'd have to go with Le Petite Fleur."  
  
The two men walked down the hall and entered Lex's study.  
  
"Think you could score me a reservation for tonight?" Clark asked, hopeful.  
  
"Who's the lucky girl?"  
  
"My mom. It's my parents' anniversary, and my dad had a picnic, but now she's in Metropolis with your dad."  
  
Lex looked concerned at what Clark said. "They're in Metropolis? At LuthorCorp? On a Sunday?"  
  
"Yeah. Can you believe that he makes her work on her anniversary?" Clark scoffed.  
  
"To my father, there's no such thing as a personal life. Listen, Clark, since it is their anniversary, I think I could do you one better than the reservations."  
  
"What do you have in mind?"  
  
"Well, if you'll excuse me a minute to make a few calls, I'll explain."  
  
Lex exited the office.  
  
----LuthorCorp. Towers that afternoon----  
  
Inside of the building, Kern, the man Lex hired, and the team (Two men named Nicky and Pine, and a woman named Bishiop) were disguised as a cleaning crew, entered the offices and began to work planting bugs, tapping phone lines, and hacking into LuthorCorp's computer system. Kern's cell phone began to ring, and he answered it. "Kern."  
  
"This is Green. I want you to terminate now."  
  
"You realize you'll be forfeiting your deposit."  
  
"There are people in the building. I want you all out."  
  
"I understand." Kern hungs up his cell phone and turns to his crew. "Our client has cancelled the project. He believes there are people in the building. What are you doing?" Kern asked Pine who was walking toward a vault, holding a device.  
  
"You think the rest of us broke into the office of one of the richest men in the world just to plant a few bugs? We ain't leaving this place until we empty that vault."  
  
'Bishop. Nicky, how long have we worked together? We're not thieves, We were hired to do a specific job." Kern asked the rest of the crew.  
  
Pine struck Kern hard in the back of the head with the remote. Bishop flinched as Kern fell to the ground unconscious.  
  
"The job description's just been changed. Nicky go out and check the other offices. Bishop, get the torch."  
  
----Lionel's office----  
  
Lionel signed some papers and Martha gathered them.  
  
Martha looked them over. "Okay." She said sadly.  
  
"Martha?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
"No. It's just when you said there was work that couldn't wait until Monday, I didn't think I'd be the only one here."  
  
"I thought you'd like to work in your new office."  
  
"New office? I-I don't understand."  
  
"Look inside the top left-hand drawer of the desk."  
  
Martha slid open the drawer. Inside is an ornate red box. She glanced at Lionel curiously before removing the box and setting it on the desk.  
  
"Go ahead. Open it."  
  
Martha opened the box to reveal an expensive looking gold watch with a diamond encrusted face, she gasped as she took it out of the box.  
  
"Turn it over." Lionel said with a smile, a genuine one.  
  
"To Martha, with deep affection, L.L."  
  
"I'm promoting you, Martha, which means I'll be needing you more in Metropolis, which means you'll need someplace to work."  
  
Martha shook her head in shock. "Lionel....I'm flattered, really, but...I can't accept this. And, as far as working in Metropolis, this job is putting enough strain on my family as it is."  
  
Lionel reached over and lightly touched Martha's hand. "Martha, I know how much you've given up to be, uh, a farmers wife, but with your brains and your talent, don't you deserve to make your own ambitions a priority for a change?"  
  
Martha shook her head, the weight of the situation confusing her. "We'll discuss it over dinner."  
  
Before Martha could answer the office door burst open.  
  
Nicky came in. "Hey lovebirds, wrong place, wrong time."  
  
Martha looked between Lionel and Nicky, fearful.  
  
"Get your hands up. Let's go! Get 'em in the air! Now!"  
  
Slowly, Martha and Lionel raised their hands.  
  
----Chez Kent----  
  
Jonathan called up the stairs to Clark's room. "Clark. Clark! I don't suppose you have any idea why there's a helicopter parked in our front yard, do you?  
  
Clark and Lex entered from the living room. "Lex is going to take you to Metropolis so you can take Mom to dinner." Clark tried to hand his dad the suit he had dry cleaned for him.  
  
"Oh, so this was your idea, was it? Why am I not surprised?"  
  
"Actually, it was Clark's. I just offered to provide the transportation." Lex said calmly, knowing Jonathan was about to snap.  
  
Jonathan slammed his hand down on the table. "Look, I don't know how things work in your house, but around here, we think it's important to respect other people's privacy and family time. And so far, today, the Luthors have intruded on both."  
  
"Dad!"  
  
Lex cut him off. "It's all right, Clark. Mr. Kent, ever since the day I moved to Smallville, I've done nothing but try to be a friend to your family. And in return, you do nothing but lecture me with sanctimonious platitudes. I'm done listening to them, especially since you don't seem to follow them."  
  
Lex and Jonathan stared at each other for a moment, before Lex turned and left the room.  
  
"Dad, that was not fair." Clark said angrily.  
  
"Everything was just fine in this family until we let the Luthors into our lives."  
  
"That wasn't Lex's fault."  
  
Jonathan's voice rose in anger. "I appreciate your concern, but it is not your job to fix everything!" Jonathan collected himself. "So just stay out of it." He left the kitchen, slamming the back door behind him.  
  
----Back at LuthorCorp----  
  
Bishop was using a blowtorch to cut through the door of the vault in the LuthorCorp offices. Kern was on the floor, tied up. Pine stood back, watching Bishop attempt to break into the vault. Nicky entered the office, pushing Martha and Lionel into the room.  
  
"Hey, Pine, I got a little present for you. The Lionel Luthor."  
  
"Good. He just saved us a whole lot of time. Get him to open the vault."  
  
Kern spoke up from the floor. "It's too late, genius. You already burned the plate."  
  
Pine and Kern glared at each other. Pine glanced over at Bishop, who silently confirmed that Kern was right.  
  
Suddenly, a security alarm went off, beeping loudly. Pine walked over to the room's security monitors and checked them. "How the hell did the cops get tipped off?" Lionel shifted his hand, concealing a blinking light in his palm, and attempted to move whatever he had in his hand back up into his sleeve. Pine noticed the movement and stalked quickly over to Lionel. "What do you have in your hand?" Pine grabbed Lionel's hand and tried to force it open, but Lionel resisted and the two men struggled. "Open it up!"  
  
"Stop it! Lionel, please." Martha pleaded.  
  
Lionel stopped resisting and Pine pried Lionel's hand open. In Lionel's palm was a small silver cylinder, with a flashing red light. Pine held it up, examining it.  
  
"Panic button. State of the art." Kern assessed.  
  
Lionel gave a small, smug smile.  
  
"Check him out." Pine instructed Nicky.  
  
"Let's go." Nicky moved to frisk Lionel.  
  
"A man in my position can never take too many precautions."  
  
"Why don't you just let us go? You can avoid adding kidnapping to the breaking and entering charges!"  
  
"You should listen to this woman. I find her advice invariably sound."  
  
"I think he's all right." Nicky finished frisking Lionel.  
  
"We should've gotten out when I said! If you'd kept to the plan, none of this would have happened!" Kern said, still in no position to be making demands.  
  
Pine sighed, annoyed He pulled his gun from his waistband and turned around, and calmly shot Kern in the chest. Martha screamed and unconsciously jumped into Lionel's waiting arms. Nicky and Bishop both pulled their guns out and aimed them at Pine. Pine pulled out another gun and aimed one at Nicky, and one at Bishop.  
  
"What the hell is the matter with you!" Nicky yelled.  
  
"Are you crazy?!" Bishop yelled back.  
  
"Shut up!" Pine yelled.  
  
"You shut up!"  
  
"What are you doing?!"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"Are you crazy?!"  
  
"Shuuuuttt Uuup! Shut Up!"  
  
"Drop it now!  
  
"All right. All right all right all right...let's just settle down, Okay?"  
  
"Drop it, Pine."  
  
"Just relax, all right? Relax. Let's take it easy. I'm putting my guns down, all right?"  
  
Pine slowly lowered his guns.  
  
"We're just going to get the money, and we're going to get the hell out of here, all right?"  
  
Bishop took a deep breath, then slowly lowered her gun. Martha clung to Lionel in fear. Pine turned back to Nicky, who still had his gun aimed at him. Pine and Nicky stared each other down for a moment, then Nicky slowly lowered his gun. Pine sighed relieved.  
  
"Back to work on that vault." Pine instructed Bishop.  
  
"You're wasting your time, you know. There's nothing in there of value to any of you." Lionel said, still holding onto Martha.  
  
"You keep your eyes on them. We'll need them later for leverage."  
  
----Kent living room----  
  
A reporter was standing outside doing a live report, squad cars howled in the background.  
  
"We are live at the LuthorCorp tower, where sometime earlier this afternoon, armed gunmen apparently entered the building and are now holding LuthorCorp chairman and CEO Lionel Luthor hostage."  
  
Jonathan andCLark watched horrified.  
  
"Along with at least one unidentified female employee."  
  
Clark and Jonathan both stood up when they heard the news. Jonathan grabbed his jacket to leave.  
  
Clark swallowed before speaking. "Mom."  
  
"If anybody tries to hurt your mother..."  
  
"I'm not going to let that happen."  
  
"Clark! I'm not going to try and stop you, but I want you to be careful. Now, I'm going to follow you in the truck. I'll get there just as soon as I can."  
  
"Dad, there's a faster way for you to get to Metropolis. You just have to talk to Lex."  
  
Jonathan thought about it for a second.  
  
-----LuthorCorp Tower----  
  
Pine watched Bishop trying to cut through the vault. Nearby, Kern's cell- phone rang. Pine reached down and opened Kern's pocket and removed the phone. "Get him out of here." He said to Nicky. He went to the side and answered. "What."  
  
"I hired you to bug an office not create a media circus!"  
  
"Yeah, well, we ran into a little snag."  
  
Lex didn't recognize the voice on the other end. "Who is this?"  
  
"Tell you what, Mr. Green... you show me your caller ID and I'll show you mine."  
  
"I want to talk to Kern, now."  
  
"Yeah, well Kern's definitely not in charge anymore."  
  
Pine ended the call leaving Lex angry. Jonathan slowly entered the study.  
  
Lex looked up and saw him. "Mr. Kent. I take it you've seen the news?"  
  
"If I hadn't been so bullheaded and...taken you up on your offer, Martha and I would probably be on our way to dinner. Instead...Lex I wasn't mad at you I was mad at the situation."  
  
"Believe me, there's plenty of blame to go around."  
  
"Lex, I was wondering..."  
  
Jonathan hesitated, just looking at Lex trying to suck up his pride and ask for Lex's help without actually asking. Lex just stared back at him as they studied each other.  
  
Jonathan tried again. "I was wondering if I..."  
  
Lex gave in and didn't make him ask. "Sure, Mr. Kent. I'll give you a helicopter ride to Metropolis." Jonathan just nodded slightly. Lex picked up his phone and dialed Paris' line. "I'm going to Metropolis."  
  
"I'm coming with."  
  
----Meanwhile at the scene of yet another crime----  
  
Police had put up barriers to keep the crowd back from the LuthorCorp building. Clark managed to slip past security. He studied the building, trying to think of a way in.  
  
An Officer came up to him. "Young man, you too. Stay behind the barricades."  
  
Clark did as he was told and walked away to try and find another route in.  
  
----Inside the hostage situation----  
  
Bishop completed cutting a hole in the vault door while Pine and Nicky talked.  
  
"So, what are we going to do? They saw you kill Kern. They can ID us, Pine. And I for one am not going down for murder, you understand me?"  
  
"We'll deal with them when the time comes." They walked over to the vault.  
  
Lionel leaned over and whispered to Martha. "I know what you're thinking. If I hadn't asked you to work today, you'd be at home right now with your family."  
  
Martha just shook her head 'No'. (Yeah right like she wasn't thinking DUH JACKASS!) "I don't blame you, Lionel. (tearfully) It's--it's just that Jonathan and I left on such bad terms." (She's such a softie)  
  
"It's ironic. I had quite a row this morning too, with Lex. If they kill us, those will be the last words we ever spoke to each other."  
  
"I hope you're not right about that."  
  
Bishop tried to open the vault with a drill, to no avail. "Pine, it's yours."  
  
Pine picked up a crowbar and a canister of chemicals off a nearby chair. Handing the crowbar to Bishop, he attached a thermostat to the vault, then sprayed the liquid nitrogen onto the metal where Bishop has drilled. Martha tried to see what was happening. Once the thermostat got near -300 degrees Celsius Pine stopped spraying and took the crowbar from Bishop. Hits the metal with the crowbar the chilled metal broke apart easily.  
  
After opening the vault the group becam confused. "What the hell is this?" Pine asked angrily. The vault was filled with nothing but files of paper and some weird rocks.  
  
----Outside----  
  
Jonathan, Paris and Lex made their way through the crowd.  
  
"Excuse me. Excuse me." An officer tried to stop Jonathan, but Lex waved him off.  
  
"It's ok, it's ok." Lex assured the officer.  
  
"Clark?" Jonathan asked, seeing his son in the crowd.  
  
Sawyer: (Stepping between Jonathan and Clark) You know this kid?  
  
Lex found Lieutenant Sawyer, whom he was supposed to contact. "Lieutenant Sawyer, my name is Lex Luthor...."  
  
She cut him off. "I know who you are."  
  
"I'd appreciate an update on the negotiations."  
  
"This way. You stay here." She said pointing to Paris. "Starlets with trust funds have no place in the real world."  
  
Paris just glared at her. 'Bitch', running through her head.  
  
Sawyer leads Lex to the command center.  
  
Jonathan wanted to talk to Clark privately. "Paris can I have a few minutes with Clark, alone? Family stuff."  
  
"Sure." Paris wandered off.  
  
"What happened?" Jonathan asked, expecting some good news.  
  
"I've been listening to the police. I think I found a way into the building."  
  
"Really? How?"  
  
"You won't like it."  
  
"Clark, tell me. I'll be the judge of that."  
  
"Nobody's watching the Daily Planet." Clark said, glancing at the building next to them.  
  
"You're not thinking about jumping."  
  
"It's the only way."  
  
"Clark, that's got to be over 200 feet."  
  
"I can make it."  
  
"You don't know that. Besides, don't you have a fear of heights?"  
  
"If we're not here to get Mom out then why are we here?"  
  
"Listen to me. I am just as concerned about your mother as you are, but we can't afford to make a mistake that could get her killed."  
  
----Inside the office of no return----  
  
Pine was pissed. "Where's the damn money! We didn't come here for no rocks!"  
  
"I told you, there was nothing in there of interest to you."  
  
Pine tossed the file folders to the ground, where they scattered across the floor.  
  
"Check this out." Bishop said coming out of the vault. She handed Pine the octagonal disk.  
  
"What's this for Luthor?"  
  
"Rich man's paperweight."  
  
"Schmuck."  
  
----Above the building----  
  
A helicopter continued to circle the building as Clark, Jonathan and Paris stood with Sawyer inside the police command center. Sawyer's cell phone rang.  
  
She answered. "Sawyer, here."  
  
"Where is my transportation?" Pine asked.  
  
"I told you, I need a show of good faith first. You give me one of those hostages."  
  
"Okay. Fine." Pine pulled his gun out of his waistband and roughly grabbed Martha off the couch and dragged her over to the window. He pointed the gun at her head. "You've got 10 minutes, then you can take this one out in a body bag."  
  
"We're working on it. Stay cool up there. Stay cool."  
  
Jonathan and Clark watched with fear and anger as they saw Martha on the feed from the helicopter's camera. Paris paled and ran in search of Lex. 'He's not losing his mother", she thought angrily as she ran.  
  
----The roof of the Daily Planet----  
  
Clark walked out of the service door on the top of the Daily Planet and surveyed the scene to make sure no one could see him. "There's no turning back now." He said determined.  
  
----On the ground----  
  
"Whatever you do, don't hurt any of the hostages. Just stay calm."  
  
"Yeah, well how am I supposed to stay calm, huh? I open up that damn vault expecting to find my retirement fund, and instead I find a bunch of files, green rocks all cut up into bars!"  
  
"What else was in there?"  
  
"What's it to you?"  
  
"Answer me, and maybe I can help you."  
  
"I--just what I told you. Oh, and some metal octagon lookin' thing. Your old man says it's a rich man's paperweight."  
  
It dawned on Lex what exactly Lionel had in the vault. "Listen to me. Pack up everything--the files, the bars, the octagon."  
  
"Yeah, then what?"  
  
"I know a way out of the building, but first you let the hostages go."  
  
Pine hung up without answering Lex, pondering his choices.  
  
---Clark the magnificent jumping farmboy----  
  
Clark shook his hands back and forth and bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, gathering his energy up into one explosive burst. Fear and determination were written all over his face. In a burst of super speed, he ran toward the edge of the roof and flung himself toward the other tower. Clark crashed through one of the windows, landing against the office's opposite wall, cracking the plaster in the process. He looked at the broken window, grinning with amazement. He stood up dusting himself off and went to find Martha.  
  
In Lionel's office, the security system started to scream.  
  
"Pine. Better take a look at this. We got company." Nicky looked at the monitors.  
  
"Check it out."  
  
----Sawer, superbitch----  
  
"A window just blew out on the 30th floor. Get the team together. We're going in. Let's go. Move it!" Sawyer ordered.  
  
Lex was nearby, Paris still looking for him and being detained by several cops. He heard the news and called Pine. "What the hell's going on up there?"  
  
"It sounds like the junk in that safe is worth something to you. Tell you what. I want a million dollars and I want a way out of here."  
  
"You're in no position to negotiate."  
  
"This is not a negotiation, all right? We get out of here or nobody does."  
  
"All right, listen to me. Luthor has a private elevator. It's take you to a tunnel that leads to a garage three blocks away."  
  
"Hey Lionel, you been holding out on me? Is there some kind of secret way out of here?"  
  
"Oh, yes." Lionel said with a chuckle. Martha was not amused. "And whatever that anonymous coward, your Mr. Green, is offering... I'll double it. In exchange for our lives, and the contents of the safe."  
  
"Hmm. Hear that Mr. Green? Looks like we got us a bidding war."  
  
"Look, no matter what Lionel Luthor is promising you, you can't trust him!"  
  
"Oh, but I should trust you--somebody who hides his own identity? I think I'd rather deal with Lionel."  
  
"I'll match what he's offering. Just don't hurt them."  
  
Pine just hung up on him again.  
  
Lex closed his phone, further aggravated. "Don't hurt who, Lex?" Were you just talking to those men up there?" Jonathan asked, walking over to him.  
  
"Mr. Kent, whatever I'm doing is in the best interests of your wife and my father, believe me."  
  
Lex tried to walk away, but Jonathan grabbed his arm, roughly swinging him back around so that he and Lex were face to face.  
  
"If I find out you had anything to do with what's going on out there, you will pray to God that you never set foot in Smallville, you believe me."  
  
Lex pulled his arm away, looked at him for a moment, and quickly walked back to the command center as Jonathan stared after him in shock.  
  
Paris ran up to Lex, almost out of breath. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you."  
  
"Well you've found me. How have I disappointed you today?" He said sarcastically.  
  
She just looked at him and shook her head in confusion. "Lex I can go in there."  
  
"Are you out of your mind? This is not Die Hard." He said shocked and appalled. "Just because you've been in hostage situations in movies does not mean you know what to do in real life! I can't believe you even suggested it!"  
  
"No you don't understand. Okay A: I'm a black belt. B: I'm a Foreign Dignitary's granddaughter. I am allowed certain diplomatic rights. I can't get sent to jail for shooting someone in self defense if the situation calls for it. The worst that can happen is I get deported and that's not likely."  
  
"So."  
  
"So I doubt they know that. Not only do I have diplomatic immunity, but if they hurt me."  
  
"You mean kill you."  
  
"Yeah, well if that happens, they can go directly to jail. Do not pass go do not collect $200. There's not even a trial."  
  
"But...."  
  
"But nothing. You make the trade. Martha and Lionel for me."  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yeah, you promise that if I go in you'll pay the ransom for Martha and Lionel and they can demand the ransom for me from my family."  
  
"And if they shoot you?"  
  
"No, I can shoot them. Immunity remember? I don't get hurt or go to jail. And your dad and Martha are free."  
  
"No. I'm not risking your life to clean up my mess."  
  
"But..."  
  
"No way! NO FUCKING WAY!" He shouted, starting a shouting match.  
  
"WELL IT WAS AN IDEA!"  
  
"IT WAS HALF BAKED!"  
  
She lowered her voice and whispered harshly. "This whole thing was half baked. I have immunity and I am well protected not to mention insured. I was only trying to help."  
  
Lex whispered just as harshly at her. "Well stop! Next time you feel the need to put yourself in danger go sky diving, not into a hostage situation. And if a trade ever did need to be made I would be trading my father's life for yours, not the other way around."  
  
"I'm a big girl Lex."  
  
"Your actions these past few weeks dictate otherwise, just look at your wrist."  
  
"Go to hell."  
  
----Inside, away from the dueling trust fund babies----  
  
Nicky make his way through the hallways, gun drawn, looking for the intruder. After hearing a woosh, sending papers flying, Nicky turned around to find Clark behind him. Clark grabbed Nicky around the neck and shoved him against the wall, choking him.  
  
"Where's my mom? Where is she?!"  
  
Nicky couldn't speak from the force of Clark on his throat.  
  
----The MB negotiates----  
  
"So, as soon as the banks open, I'll have the money wired to, uh, any account you choose, anywhere in the world." Lionel said calmly.  
  
"All right. We got a deal."  
  
"Good."  
  
"But I'm hanging on to everything until I get that money."  
  
"All right."  
  
Pine grabbed the cleaning cart the team used to disguise the equipment they were bringing in. Bishop, pack up the stuff in the vault."  
  
"So, now are you going to tell me who's on the other line?"  
  
"You'd probably know better than me. Why don't you think who your enemies are?"  
  
Lionel shook his head with a rueful smile.  
  
Pine pointedthe gun at Martha. "Come on lady, you can help out! Pick up the files! Come on!"  
  
Martha began gathering the files. She grabbed the file marked 'Clark Kent', making sure Pine wasn't looking, she opened it.  
  
"Today. Come on! Pick 'em up, put 'em in the barrel with the rest of the stuff!"  
  
"O-Okay. I'm picking them up..."  
  
Martha did as she was told. "All right, that's good. Get over there with your boss, or whatever he is to you."  
  
Lionel leaned over and whispered to her. "Martha. The octagonal disk-- where is it?"  
  
"I don't know. Why is it so important?"  
  
"Come on, time's up. Let's go, move." Pine said as he pointed the gun at them.  
  
Suddnely the power went out. "What the hell happened?" Pine yelled in the darkness.  
  
"The cops cut the power! We have got to go!" Bishop said before running to the door.  
  
"Bishop, don't!" Pine called after her.  
  
Bishop just made it to the door as Clark threw it open and punched her in the face, sending her flying. She fell into Pine, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Pine lost the gun and it landed by Lionel.  
  
"Clark, get out of here now!" Martha screamed. Clark weakened as the rocks began to glow. "Clark!" Clark fell down in pain. "Clark!" Martha continued to scream.  
  
"Are you alone?" Pine asked, grabbing Clark. "Answer me! Are you alone?"  
  
Martha rushed over and started shoving the cart of meteor rocks back into the vault. Pine saw what Martha was doing. He tired to stop her from shutting the door but was too slow, as he reached his arm in the door was shutting. A crunch filled the room followed by a scream from pine. "Arghhhh!" Martha dragged him away from the vault and shoved him against the wall.  
  
"Clark! Clark!" She ran over to Clark. "Clark, are you alright?"  
  
"Lady, you and the kid get up!" Martha and Clark looked up and saw Pine on the other side of the room holding Lionel hostage, with a drill running and aimed at Lionel's temple. "Put your hands over your head or I kill the old man."  
  
Clark supersped over, knocking the drill out of Pine's hands. Grabbing Pine's shirt with Pine grabbing back, Clark prepared to punch him. A gunshot filled the room. Pine's eyes went wide before sliding out of Clark's grip. Lionel stood where Pine was, with Pine's gun. Martha walked over and assessed the situation. "He's dead."  
  
Lionel went to his desk to put the gun away. "Clark! Those files over there--burn them. There's one about you. We can't let it get out." Martha whispered.  
  
Clark burned the files as told. Martha searched Pine's pockets until she found the disk, slipping it into hers.  
  
----Downstairs it's all alright----  
  
Martha ran ahead of everyone in search of her husband. She finally found him standing behind the police barricade. She ran toward him as he broke through. They hugged and kissed.  
  
Lex and Paris were standing waiting for the group. Lex walked up to Clark. "Clark, how did you get inside?"  
  
Lionel walked up behind Clark and clapped his hand on his shoulder. "The boy's resourceful, Lex. What difference does it make how he did it? He saved us. That's what's important. Paris so nice of you to join us this fine evening."  
  
"Yeah well I went for a jog and found a hostage situation. Gotta love big cities."  
  
Clark just looked nervous like someone was about to open fire. Lionel dropped his hand. Clark left.  
  
"Dad. I want you to know I was doing everything I could to secure your release."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure you did a great deal." Lionel leaned in and whispered something to Lex. "There is a saying that one day the student shall surpass the teacher. Lucky for me I don't have to worry about that with you around." Lionel chuckled and walked away, leaving Lex shocked.  
  
Lex put his hands in his coat pockets and slowly lowered his head. Everyone managed to get out of the building safely. Lex was pretty sure he would be on Jonathan Kent's permanent shit list if he found out who hired those guys in the first place. Paris was standing next to him not moving a muscle, just observing. Lex saw the Kent's embracing and a pang of jelousy hit him like a jab to the gut. When all was said and done it was just him and Paris standing outside a big building on a cold night.  
  
Paris looked over and saw her friend standing defeated and heart broken, she knew he saw the Kent's family unit and longed for one of his own. Not to mention whatever heartfelt words Lionel had just said to him. No matter how much money he had, Lex never had a proper family life and tonight was just another glaring example of that sad fact.  
  
She turned to him, he wouldn't look her in the eye. She reached up and hugged him, knowing that's what he needed.  
  
Lex was relived to have contact with her. She always knew what he needed. He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her shoulder, hugging her tightly. It was awhile before he spoke. "I don't know what I'm doing."  
  
"It's alright." Paris hugged him tighter.  
  
"No it's not. If you or Helen were in that building. I would have never forgiven myself. Mrs. Kent didn't do anything to anyone."  
  
"I know you didn't mean to put anyone in danger. But remember, your father started this game, not you. And when it's finished, when we finish it, he will lose."  
  
"How can you be so sure?"  
  
"Call it woman's intuition."  
  
Lex chuckled. "Let's go home."  
  
They walked to the helipad together.  
  
----The Kents the next day----  
  
Martha walked down the stairs with a piece of paper in her hand. Jonathan and Clark were in the kitchen drinking coffee.  
  
"What's that?" Jonathan asked.  
  
"It's my resignation. There's no way I can keep working for Lionel. He had refined meteor rocks in his vault, a file on Clark...I can't believe I trusted him."  
  
"Without that file, at least the police can't find out anything about me."  
  
"To think I made this job such a big priority, and Lionel may have only hired me to learn more about Clark."  
  
"I'm sorry, Mom. I know how important your work has been to you."  
  
"It's not more important than you."  
  
"Wait. Are you sure that this is the best thing to do? Quit, I mean."  
  
"What do you mean? I thought you'd be happy about it."  
  
"If you hadn't been working for Lionel, then we'd have no way of knowing that he was keeping tabs on Clark."  
  
"So, instead of staying away from him..." Martha smiled playfully.  
  
"Maybe we should take a page out of the Luthor playbook." 


	10. Head Rush

A.N. This is my spin on Crush. I totally took out the first part. But Pete and Chloe went to the rave in the cave. And yes Pete did get poked in the neck.  
  
It is February now and Paris' cast is off. ----The cave, the day after----  
  
Paris was walking through one of the rooms in the cave and came upon some goo. Shining her light upon the goo, "Well what is this?" She bent down to explore it further, poking it with her finger. "Well that's just gross." She stood up, and wiped her hands on her jeans. She stepped back stumbled on a rock and landed on her butt in a puddle of goo. "Ow." She whined. "Uck, this is never going to come out, and I know Lex isn't going to let me in his car with dirty pants. Anal retentive little neat freak." Just then something pinched her in the back of her neck. "Ow what the? Evil cave from hell." She reached back and rubbed her hand over the area where the poke came from. She brought her hand back to her face but saw nothing. "Oh well." She stood up and half heartedly tried to wipe her clothes off. Just then a lurid smile crept across her face and she chuckled to herself as she exited the room.  
  
Clark came in carrying a roll of trash bags and started to cleaning up.  
  
Lex flashed his light over to Clark. "Don't bother, I've got a maintenance crew coming."  
  
"Lex, I didn't see you there."  
  
"Just checking for damage. It looks like it was quite a bash."  
  
"Pete tried to break it up. But he's been acting weird all day."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure it was a noble effort, but not many teenagers are interested in 500-year old cave paintings. What's your interest, Clark?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"When I fired the security guard this morning, I asked him who else he'd let in these caves. He told me you were down here almost every day. Now, you wouldn't be keeping secrets from me, would you, Clark?"  
  
"Kyla gave her life for these caves. I'm doing a term paper on the drawings."  
  
Lex noticed a book in Clark's backpack and grabbed it. "Deciphering the Mysteries of Hieroglyphics" by Dr. Frederick Walden. Sounds like a real page-turner.  
  
"Hey, Lex, why did you start the preservation project? It's not like there's big business in caves."  
  
"I like a good mystery. This one promises to be fascinating. Wouldn't you agree?" Just then he saw Paris walking toward them looking disheveled. "What happened to you, spelunking go awry?"  
  
She spoke in a flirtatious voice. "You could say that. I tripped and fell in a puddle of something cavey." Still walking toward Lex, not noticing Clark.  
  
"Cavey? Making up words are we?"  
  
Paris came nose to nose with Lex. He could see something different in her features but couldn't decide what it was. In a low husky tone, "Well Lexy unless you can think of something better, I'm sticking with cavey."  
  
Clark was getting a bit uncomfortable: "I better get going."  
  
Lex, broke eye contact with Paris and turned to Clark: "I told the new security man nobody comes down here without my permission. Nobody except for Clark Kent, of course."  
  
Clark smiled. "Thanks Lex. Later Lex. Bye Paris."  
  
"Later Clark."  
  
Paris didn't even turn around, she kept her eyes locked on Lex. "Yeah bye Clark."  
  
Lex turned his attention back to Paris who is slowly tracing patterns up and down his chest with her fingers. "What may I ask has gotten into you?"  
  
Coyly Paris said, "You Lexy. Living in your house, seeing you every day. I'm tired of being told look don't touch. I want to touch you and I want you to touch me."  
  
He took her wrists and held onto them, pulling them away from his body. Talking calmly, "I think you fell on your head. Come on let's get you to a doctor."  
  
Paris grew irate, pulling away. "I didn't hit my head and I don't need a soddin doctor!" She lowered her voice, grasped Lex by the shoulders and pushed Lex up against the wall. "I need you." She kissed him hard on the mouth, pushing her body all the way against him.  
  
Lex shoved her off him. "Paris will you?" He stopped as something pricked him in the back of the neck. A wry smile crossing his features. "Come back here so I can ravage you."  
  
---The Talon starring Lana Lang----  
  
Lana was arranging a vase of flowers in the Talon as Chloe came in.  
  
"Hey. I didn't hear you leave this morning."  
  
"Well, I had to be here first thing. Since I'm Miss. Responsibility and all."  
  
"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were avoiding me."  
  
"Don't take it personally. It's just how I cope."  
  
"Look, I don't want to be one of those annoying people that says I'm here if you need to talk, but... I am."  
  
"I appreciate it."  
  
"Listen, if you don't feel like talking, um, I thought maybe we could go to Metropolis tomorrow and do some serious shopping. My dad even said that he would join in on the conspiracy and get us out of school early."  
  
"Ah, thanks. And I'd love to, but, you know, I already have plans with Clark."  
  
"Oh. Uh, what kind of plans?" Chloe was taken aback.  
  
"Well, um, he asked me out on a date."  
  
"Wow. I thought you guys were giving up on the mating dance." 'Gazelles have a better learning curve than these two,' she thought jealously.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, me too."  
  
"But you still said yes."  
  
'Uhoh, she's smart for a blonde. Shit, shit, stall Lana,' Lana was trying to think of something to say. "Look, Chloe, if this is gonna be too weird for you..."  
  
"No! My feelings for Clark are so ancient, they're-- they're fossilized." She gave a laugh to show her amusement with the whole situation. "Uh, seriously, you should-- you should go for it."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Lana, does it really matter how I feel? I mean, if I was in your position, I'd do the exact same thing. Don't let me be your excuse." 'Let me be your excuse, let me be your excuse,' Chloe silently chanted to herself.  
  
"Okay. Um, I'm glad we cleared the air." 'Yeah, I get my way, again,' Lana silently cheered.  
  
"Me too. I'll see you tonight."  
  
"Okay."  
  
As Chloe left Lana thought to herself, 'That was too easy.'  
  
----The Sexy Study----  
  
Lex entered his study, to the waiting Dr. Walden, looking rather neat considering the exhausting activities he and Paris had just finished.  
  
"I appreciate you coming on such short notice, Professor Walden."  
  
The two men shook hands. "Well, normally I wouldn't. It's not often that I'm offered my weekly rate for a 10-minute consultation. As I told your associate, I'm not able to take on any new endeavors at this time."  
  
"Then when can you start?"  
  
"Next year."  
  
"I was thinking more like tomorrow."  
  
"I leave for Chile on Tuesday."  
  
"I'm sure you can postpone your trip."  
  
"It's out of the question. If you want the foremost authority in a field, Mr. Luthor, you learn to wait."  
  
"In my experience, when you want the best, you simply pay them what they're worth." E handed Dr. Walden a check.  
  
"Rich men with delusions of grandeur rarely sway me with a checkbook." He ripped the check and dropped it on the floor for emphasis.  
  
"Does this sway you?" He handed Dr. Walden an envelope of pictures.  
  
"That is... quite unique, I can tell you that. It doesn't appear to be native North American, or even Mayan for that matter. These are amazing."  
  
Paris walked in her hair was down in it's natural loose curls, only wearing one of Lex's long sleeved purple button down shirts that ended at her knees, holding a pint of Ben and Jerry's and a spoon. "Lexy I'm lonely." She pouted as she walked up to Lex's desk and stood behind his chair.  
  
"Paris I'm in the middle of something with Dr. Walden. I'll be back in a minute."  
  
"You said that half an hour ago."  
  
"Actually Mr. Luthor if you'd let me I'd like to go back to my lab and study these photographs."  
  
"Be my guest."  
  
"Thank you." Walden walked out.  
  
Lex swiveled his chair around to look at Paris but she walked around and sat on his desk with her legs dangling over the edge. Lex turned back around, face to face with Paris. She was eating her ice cream happily. He placed his hands on her thighs and started to inch upward. "Ahahah." She hit his hands lightly with her spoon. "You made me wait forever so I'm gonna do the same to you. It's only fair."  
  
"Fine, spoil sport."  
  
"Whatever, cheeky boy."  
  
"Please don't use the British it reminds me of Victoria."  
  
"Baby, bringing up ex-lovers who tried to screw you out of your company after you spent many nights screwing them is not going to gain you entrance into any place on my body. It's kind of a mojo killer, catch my drift?"  
  
"Fine I'm sorry, she's the devil and I shall never speak of her again. Can we move on?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What kind of ice cream is that?"  
  
"I'm glad you asked. It's the kinkiest kind."  
  
"It's manufactured by two hefty hippies from Vermont, how kinky can it be?" He started stroking the inside of her thigh again.  
  
"Well if you'll stop letting your fingers do the walking I'll tell you."  
  
"Fine." He stopped.  
  
"It's called caramel sutra." She sucked some ice cream off her spoon in between sentences.  
  
"Caramel sutra huh?"  
  
"Yes. It's chocolate ice cream with chocolate chunks and creamy, smooth, rich caramel. In. the. middle. Kinky and good."  
  
"Do I get any?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Well is there anything I can do to sway your opinion?" He stood up and started unbuttoning the shirt she was wearing.  
  
"Nope, it's all up to me."  
  
"What if I do this?" He ran his hand back up her thigh and between her legs, hitting the spot he was looking for.  
  
"MMMMMM." She moaned happily as she held out a spoonful for Lex.  
  
"MMM good." He said after she fed him the spoonful.  
  
"Want more?"  
  
"Later. Right now I just want you."  
  
"Well, what Lex Luthor wants, Lex Luthor gets. So come and get me." She laid down on the desk.  
  
"That's what I like to hear."  
  
----Our trusty reporter is hard at work at her paper----  
  
Clark walked into the torch finding Chloe. "Hey, Chloe. Have you seen Pete today? I think he skipped school."  
  
"Well, I asked him to help me with the memorial issue, but he totally blew me off. Why?"  
  
"He's just acting strange. I think Travis's death really got to him."  
  
"Pete did try and save him, but he just couldn't get there in time. Maybe, you know, he feels guilty."  
  
"He definitely isn't acting that way."  
  
"Different people deal with grief in different ways. Um, any big plans for the weekend?"  
  
Clark changed the subject, after all he is the master. "Do you know if they found any drugs in Travis's system?"  
  
"The autopsy report was inconclusive, but they did find a small puncture wound in the back of his neck and his adrenal gland was unusually enlarged."  
  
"Adrenaline does give you a rush. Maybe that's why he jumped."  
  
"Yeah, but he wasn't the only one. Two other kids at the rave, one from Grandville, the other one from Smallville Community College, they both turned up dead. One took a swan dive into an empty pool and the other one wrapped his Corolla around a tree. Same puncture wounds, same enlarged adrenal gland, and same extreme behavior."  
  
"It's like they all had a death wish. What do the police think?"  
  
"Somebody may have been sticking them with a new designer drug. You think they got Pete?"  
  
"I don't know. But I know I need to get him to a doctor. I'll see you later."  
  
----Lex's office----  
  
Lex and Paris lay completely naked on top of Lex's desk. They had finished a vigorous round of sex and were catching their breath. The phone next to Lex's head started to ring.  
  
"Lex Luthor." He answered.  
  
"Lex it's Helen."  
  
"Oh hi Helen. How are you?" Lex said winking at Paris. Not to be forgotten about Paris got off the desk and stood between Lex's legs.  
  
"Not good. I need to cancel dinner tonight."  
  
Paris lightly kissed a trail from his collar bone to his pubic bone, and began to blow on Lex's half hard member.  
  
"I'm sorry to hear about that." Paris starting licking the sensitive tip, earning a sigh from Lex.  
  
"Yeah, we're backed up here. Tons of bee stings and chicken pox." Paris started to suck lightly on the head, making Lex lose his train of thought.  
  
"That's alright. Actually I'll be out of town tonight anyway. So I'll see you tomorrow?" Lex bit the inside of his cheek as Paris started to massage his balls while sucking.  
  
"That's fine."  
  
"Great, bye." Lex hung up the phone quickly. He glanced down ad Paris who was looking straight at him.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked, taking a break. She leaned her chin on his chest.  
  
"You did that on purpose."  
  
"What was your first clue?" She said with a wicked smile.  
  
"Get up here." He said, taking her hands on his.  
  
She got up on the desk straddling his lap. "Lex Luthor, get ready for the ride of your life."  
  
----The street in front of the Talon----  
  
Clark was walking down the sidewalk to the Talon, trying to find Pete.  
  
"Yo, Clark!" Pete called from across the street as he stood, laughing, on a Jeep. "What's up?"  
  
"Pete, get down from there! Pete, I have to get you to the hospital! I think something happened to you at the rave!"  
  
"Sure, man! I'll be right there." Pete said sarcastically as he laughed. Pete jumped off the Jeep and crossed in front of a bus. "No!" Clark super sped into the road and pushed Pete out of the way. "Are you all right? Are you okay?"  
  
"Oh, yeah! That was amazing! Let's do it again!"  
  
"I'm getting you to a doctor."  
  
People from the bus began to gather around them.  
  
"No, no, no, no, no. I feel great!"  
  
Clark grabbed his arm. "You're coming with me!"  
  
"No, I'm not" Pete grabbed his arm away and ran off. Clark knew he couldn't chase after him because of all the spectators.  
  
----Evil cave part two----  
  
Clark and Chloe were looking around the cave. "Whatever happened to Pete started in this cave."  
  
"Well, have you gotten him to a doctor yet, or is he as needle-phobic as you are?"  
  
"I haven't been able to find him. My dad called the Rosses. They haven't been seen him all day."  
  
"So what exactly are we looking for?"  
  
"I don't know. A certain reporter friend of mine always said to explore all options."  
  
"In that case, I'll look over here."  
  
"Okay. I'll check out the other chamber."  
  
Chloe went to the wall with the crack in it and took a picture of it. Noticing the crack and reached inside to feel around. After touching some slime and yanking her hand out she leaned forward to look inside.  
  
"Hey! This cave is off-limits. Why don't you find somewhere else to make out?" Chloe turned around and was face to face wh Dr. Walden. Something shot out of the cave and into the back of Chloe's neck, she gasped in pain. "You alright?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. As for your snide remark, people haven't made out in this cave since the 20th century. Now back off!"  
  
Clark came back and saw Dr. Walden in a standoff with Chloe. 'Oh great.' "Hey, you're Frederick Walden, the linguist. You wrote that book."  
  
"I've written many books."  
  
"Did Lex Luthor hire you?" Clark asked suspiciously.  
  
"Thanks to you, Clark. I'm counting on Professor Walden to translate these pictographs for us. It'll help the preservation effort." Lex said as he walked in.  
  
"Hey, rule one-- no guided tours."  
  
"They're friends of mine, Professor, and I didn't realize you'd accepted my offer."  
  
"I have, but we do things on my terms, and I don't allow anybody except for my staff on a work site."  
  
"With all due respect, Professor, I was the one who found the caves."  
  
"I don't care if you discovered the Shroud of Turin, kid. If you're unhappy with my method, I can take the first flight to Chile."  
  
"I'm sorry, Clark."  
  
"Lex, you can't do this."  
  
"The man's one of the most renowned linguists in the world. If that's the way he works, we have to respect that. And it is never a good idea to tell me what I can and can't do."  
  
"Hey! You get down from there!" Walden yelled at Choe who was walking on a ledge.  
  
"Come on, Chloe, let's go."  
  
"Fine." Chloe jumped down with a smile on her face.  
  
"What are you smiling at? I want those photographs. Give me your camera."  
  
"Take your own."  
  
"I'm serious, young lady."  
  
"You're the cunning linguist. Why don't you translate this? Kiss... my... ass."  
  
----That night---  
  
That evening didn't go well for Clark. Pete came over and they got into an argument. He tried to explain to Pete that there was a parasite in his stomach and Pete freaked and whipped out the Green K.  
  
----The Torch AKA Mistress Chloe's Pleasure Room----  
  
Chloe made out with some random jock but Clark had to bust in. He tried to convince her there was a parasite in Pete but she mocked him. He x-rayed her finding the same thing but left, knowing she was too into it to turn back. Chloe whipped out her cell phone and called Paris's cell phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Paris it's Chloe."  
  
"Oh hi Chloe. What's up?" Paris was sitting on the roof of Lex's Mansion smoking a cigarette and drinking a glass of vodka.  
  
"I'm totally bored off my ass. School is so, banal."  
  
"That's why I never spent too much time in class. I'm a bit bored too, Lex is like in a coma after the fuck fest we had last night."  
  
"Well why don't you grab that fancy ass car of yours, get down to the Torch, pick my ass up and you can share your sex stories with me. Pete's here too and he's bored as hell"  
  
"I'll do one better. Why don't I grab one of Lex's fancy ass cars. I'll even let you drive."  
  
"Sweet!"  
  
----Lex's possibly soon to be departed Car----  
  
Chloe was driving Lex's Ferrari, speeding at almost 155 MPH, Pete sitting next to her and Paris standing behind Pete leaning back with her hands in the air.  
  
----The Talon----  
  
Lana was looking at Clark sadly when Pete, Chloe and Paris entered.  
  
"Hey, lovebirds. Look who I found." Chloe said, mocking her friends. "Someone have a wittle fight?"  
  
Lana looked away from her and saw Paris and Pete walking in. "Paris I didn't know you were coming with. How are you?"  
  
"Bored actually. Is there anything to do in this cow town besides stare at the paint and wait for sweet death?" Lana walked into the back to get away from the weirdness.  
  
"Pete, Chloe I need to get you help."  
  
"My god Clark, they're fine. Why do you always have to be such a buzz kill? Grow a pair and join the fun."  
  
"Stop with the martyr bit Kent. It gets pretty annoying after awhile." Chloe said snidely.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, ladies let up on the boy. Clark, I know you're worried about me. You're my boy. You always have been. But I figured it out. In your world, green means stop. And red...Red means go." He pulled a piece of Red K from his shirt and put in Clark's pocket.  
  
Clark looked at Chloe, Pete and Paris as his eyes started to glow red. A small, dangerous smile formed on his lips.  
  
----The Loft of Many Lana Fantasies----  
  
Pete, Chloe, Paris and Clark entered the loft laughing.  
  
"We're gonna have some fun now! Where are your parents?" Pete said eagerly.  
  
"Out looking for you." They went up the stairs to the upper level of the loft.  
  
"So what's the plan?" Chloe asked, bored.  
  
"I don't know, I was thinking maybe we'd take Lex's car down to Saunders Gorge and jump the quarry. If we miss, Clark can catch us."  
  
"Let's do it!"  
  
"Yeah, right." Chloe said with a roll of her eyes.  
  
"What are you talking about Pete?" Paris asked in turn.  
  
"I'm serious."  
  
Chloe and Paris gave Clark a confused look.  
  
"Can we tell them?" Pete asked eagerly.  
  
"I'm surprised she hasn't figured it out already." Clark motioned to Chloe.  
  
"Figured out what?" Chloe was confused.  
  
"Hey, Pete. Do the honors?"  
  
"With pleasure."  
  
Pete took a bat and whacked it into the back of Clark's head, shattering the bat.  
  
"Whoa!" Chloe exclaimed.  
  
"Holy shit Farmboy. What do they feed you, steel?"  
  
"Gets better. Clark, uh, it's a little dark in here."  
  
Clark lit a lantern with his head vision.  
  
"How did you..."  
  
"Nice."  
  
"Do that?" Clark finished for Chloe as he supersped behind her.  
  
"What are you?" Chloe asked turning around.  
  
He super sped behind Paris and tapped her on the shoulder. "Who are you?"  
  
"Let's just say I'm not from around here."  
  
"Neither am I but I can't shatter a fucking bat with my skull." Paris said excitedly.  
  
"Yeah what the Fuck?" Chloe chimed in. "You knew about this?" Chloe questioned Pete.  
  
"He's my brother... from another planet."  
  
"You should see the look on your faces right now."  
  
"Oh, my God. This is so cool. Can you fly?" Chloe went into reporter mode.  
  
"Oh my god that would be so freaking cool!"  
  
Pete laughed at their eagerness.  
  
"Whoa, wait a minute. I may be an alien, but I'm not a cartoon."  
  
"Yeah because the rest of it is so run of the mill, flying would just be weird." Paris retorted.  
  
"So if I fall. Would you catch me?" Chloe asked as she climbed on top of the railing.  
  
"Go for it."  
  
Chloe walked to the edge and dropped backwards off the railing. Clark super speeds to the ground floor and catches her.  
  
"My own personal superhero. I always knew there was something special about you, Clark Kent."  
  
"Ooh my turn."  
  
Lex entered as if on cue.  
  
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything. Actually I don't care."  
  
"You are." Clark said as he put Chloe down.  
  
"Does he know?" Chloe half whispered to Clark.  
  
"No. I only tell people who don't go around stabbing me in the back and lying to me."  
  
"Clark, can I have a word with you? Alone?"  
  
"I'm busy."  
  
"Lex you're being a total buzz kill. Watch what Clark can do."  
  
"Don't even worry about it, Clark. It's cool. We'll meet you in the car." Pete and Chloe walked out.  
  
"You know, I always wondered. For a boy who has all the money in the world, you'd think he could afford a good toupee."  
  
Clark and Pete laughed.  
  
Paris laughed from where she was standing on top of the loft. "Being bald has it's perks Chloe. Cuts down on the friction if you know what I mean."  
  
Chloe laughed at Paris as she left.  
  
"What's going on, Clark?"  
  
"We're just having a good time. Not that it's any of your business. You ever hear of a phone? I'm sick of you just barging in like you own the place. It's really..."  
  
"I came here to tell you, Clark. I talked to Walden. He won't budge. I'm sorry."  
  
"He won't budge or you don't want me in the cave? Come on, don't lie to me. You're Lex Luthor. You pay a guy to do a job, he does what you tell him. Isn't that the way it always works?"  
  
"Oh please Clark..."  
  
Paris was walking the railing like a balance beam. "Come on Lex. You own the caves, and you own Dr. Walden. Just let the boy play in the damn caves." She did a back flip landing perfectly on the beam.  
  
"Stay out of this Paris. It's business not sex. You do what you're good at and let me do what I'm good at. I'll deal with you later."  
  
Paris climbed down. "Fine. But the sex better be damn good."  
  
"I'm gonna go into those caves whenever I damn well please. I dare you to stop me."  
  
"As intriguing as that sounds Clark...Is this really about a term paper?"  
  
"You'd love to know, wouldn't you? I'm gonna go. So are you."  
  
"I like to see you standing up for yourself, Clark, I really do. Be careful not to cross the line."  
  
"Like you've never done that before. I have shit to do with actual friends, later." Clark left. Lex and Paris were standing face to face in the barn.  
  
"Deal with me will you?" Paris said raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh yeah. What do you say we utilize the loft."  
  
"Fine by me. So what have you been up to since I was gone?"  
  
"I went bungee jumping."  
  
----The Talon AKA The Love Shack----  
  
Clark and Chloe were making out on a sofa in the Talon.  
  
One of the waitresses tried to stop them. "Um, excuse me? Hello? I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."  
  
"We're not going anywhere." Clark said, glaring at her.  
  
"Yeah, why don't you go get your manager?" Chloe tossed her head back and laughed. They went back to making out.  
  
Lex and Paris walked in. Lex had his arm around Paris's waist and she was leaning on him. The waitress walked up to Lex.  
  
"I'm glad you're hear Mr. Luthor. Can you get them to stop making out?"  
  
"No. I really don't care. In fact I plan on doing the same thing with her in a few minutes."  
  
"I am working in a mad house." The waitress stomped away in search of Lana.  
  
Lex and Paris took a seat at the table next to Chloe and Clark. Lex sat down and Paris sat straddling his lap, he placed his hands on her butt and they started making out.  
  
"God what are you doing, following me?" Clark said angrily.  
  
"Not at all Clark. I was in the mood for some coffee, and some more Paris so I decided to come here, with her. Let's not forget who owns this place."  
  
"Come on Clark, don't let Lex ruin our good time."  
  
"So what do you want to do next?"  
  
"How about we play a game of strip poker?"  
  
"We don't have any cards."  
  
"Sure we do.  
  
Chloe started to play a game with some imaginary cards. Clark held up his hand.  
  
"Full house."  
  
"Royal flush." Chloe countered.  
  
She started to unbutton the first two buttons of his shirt, and then ripped it completely open. They kissed as Clark took it off throwing it on the floor, the red meteor rock sliding out next to it. Clark was too far away from the Red K for it to do anything to him.  
  
"Chloe, I can't do this!" He said scrambling to his feet.  
  
"Uh oh, I think someone has performance anxiety." Paris said with a snicker.  
  
"Oh the pitfalls of youth and inexperience." Paris and Lex laughed.  
  
"Wh-what happened? Why the sudden Jekyll and Hyde? "What-- don't tell me you're thinking about Lana. AGAIN!"  
  
"This has nothing to do with Lana."  
  
Chloe was on the verge of tears. "You don't have any real feelings for me, do you, Clark? Every time we hang out, it's just to get answers. 'Chloe, why don't you research this?' or 'Chloe, why don't you look up that?' I'm nothing more to you than your own personal search engine and I'm sick of it. I want you, Clark." She kissed him but he pulled away. Lana saw the whole thing.  
  
"L-Lana, this is not what it looks like."  
  
"Yeah, it is, Lana. It's exactly what it looks like. Oh, and guess what? Clark told me everything. And I mean everything."  
  
"Lana, I can explain." Lana left crying.  
  
Clark followed Chloe outside where Pete was waiting with the car Paris took from Lex.  
  
"Chloe, you're not yourself. You need a doctor." Clark tried to argue with her.  
  
"What's all this doctor talk again? What happened to my little red rock?" Pete asked.  
  
"Pete, how could you do that to me?"  
  
"Relax, you needed it. Now let's go find the rock and jump the gorge. You guys can suck face later."  
  
"No, Pete, I'm taking you to the emergency room! I don't care what you tell people about..." Pete cut Clark off by punching Clark in the face, knocking him unconscious.  
  
"Whoa! How'd you do that?"  
  
"Clark's Achilles' heal. Green Kryptonite. He may be a boy scout, but I'm always prepared. Let's go."  
  
They left. Lana came outside and dumped a bucket of water on Clark's face, waking him up.  
  
"Lana. Where's Chloe and Pete?"  
  
"I don't know. And to be honest, I really don't care."  
  
Lana walked away and when she turned around to see if Clark was following her, he was already gone.  
  
----The ever jumpable gorge----  
  
"Look at that drop." Pete said in awe.  
  
"It'll be like flying."  
  
"Who needs Clark?"  
  
"Yeah, screw Clark."  
  
Pete backed the car up for good jumping. "We've got ignition!"  
  
"What are we waiting for? Blastoff! Whoo-hoo!!"  
  
Pete put the car in gear and sped toward the edge.  
  
----Who duels on a roof----  
  
Paris and Lex were on the castle roof dueling.  
  
"Had enough yet Luthor?" Paris panted.  
  
"Not even close Stratford." Lex charged at her.  
  
She dodged him. "Too fast, face it baby you're old news."  
  
Lex Charged her again, this time tripping and taking Paris down with him. Dropping their foils they rolled toward the edge of the roof stopping just before the edge.  
  
Paris. "Nice."  
  
Lex. "What a rush."  
  
----Well it was a nice car----  
  
Pete and Chloe drove over the edge of the cliff, screaming the whole way down. "Aaaaaaahhhh!!!"  
  
Clark super sped to the car and caught it.  
  
"Awesome! That was awesome!" Pete cheered.  
  
"That was awesome! One more time, Clark! Oh, my God!"  
  
"Joyride's over." Clark said from outside.  
  
----The study that routinely tries to kill people----  
  
Paris and Lex were in Lex's study each holding a pistol in their hands.  
  
"What are the rules again?"  
  
"It's a variation on Russian roulette. You point the gun at me and pull the trigger. If the chamber's empty I get to fire at you. If the chamber's full." She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "Oops."  
  
"Okay. You stand over there and I'll stand over here."  
  
Paris walked over to the bookcase and Lex stood closer to the pool table. Clark scanned the door and saw two people inside holding guns, one was empty and one had a round in the chamber, and burst into the room.  
  
"Stop! There's something inside you making you do these things."  
  
"Clark we're fine. Just because there's a parasite in Pete's stomach and you're an alien doesn't mean there's anything wrong with Lex and I."  
  
"Clark's an alien?"  
  
"Yep, he's like super fast and strong."  
  
"Awesome. Well let's see how strong he is. Come on Clark play our little game. Russian roulette."  
  
"No, stop."  
  
"Clark it'll be fine. Ready Lexy?" Paris pulled the trigger and bang filled the room.  
  
Clark super sped over to Lex and threw him out of the way taking the bullet in the shoulder.  
  
Lex looking up from his place on the floor. "Cool."  
  
----This week on Smallville General----  
  
Lex and Paris were admitted to the hospital after Clark got to them, somehow they managed to be allowed to share a room. Pete and Chloe were in PEDS on the floor above.  
  
"Do you remember anything?" Lex asked from his bed.  
  
"Not a clue kimosabe, first I fall on my butt in the cave, next thing I'm here with you." Paris's eyes were closed. "But I do want some ice cream. Do you remember anything?"  
  
"The last thing I remember is you coming on to me and then I woke up here."  
  
"So chances are we um."  
  
"Oh yeah. I'm pretty sure we terrified the staff and anyone else we came across."  
  
"Oh god." Paris groaned.  
  
Someone knocked on the door. "Come in." Lex called.  
  
"Yeah like we actually have a choice in the matter of who gets in and who doesn't." Paris commented dryly.  
  
"Hey guys." Clark walked in. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Tired." Lex answered.  
  
"I want to go home. How are Chloe and Pete?"  
  
"They're fine. They'll be getting out tomorrow. What about you two?"  
  
"Same here." Lex answered.  
  
"How are you?" Paris asked.  
  
"I'm fine. I managed not to get effected. Oh Lex your Ferrari is at my house. Mom and Dad said not to worry, you can pick it up when you're feeling better."  
  
"How'd it get there?"  
  
"Truthfully I have no clue."  
  
"I'm guessing I had something to do with that." Paris said. "You know I have a thing for Ferraris."  
  
"True. It's okay though."  
  
"Oh and mom said you two aren't allowed to be alone in the loft anymore."  
  
"We?" Lex asked.  
  
"In the loft?" Paris finished.  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
Paris just blushed in her bed. "We're never going to live this down."  
  
"Well you two need some rest. I'll see you later."  
  
"Bye Clark. Thanks for stopping by."  
  
"Yeah, thanks Clark."  
  
"Bye you two." Clark left the room.  
  
"I need a god damn vacation." Paris said.  
  
"Me too. Where to?"  
  
"Amsterdam." Paris answered with a wicked smile.  
  
"Yes because what we really need right now is drugs." Lex commented dryly.  
  
"At least it's be a better excuse than I was bitten by a parasite in a cave."  
  
"True."  
  
"They finish the painting on the inside of my house tomorrow. The furniture will be there by Sunday. I'll be out of your place Sunday night."  
  
"If you think that's best."  
  
"I do."  
  
---- TBC ----  
  
Oh no they had sex, lots and lots of unprotected sex!!!! Whatever shall happen? 


	11. Doesn't the Prodigal always leave?

----Paris' House----

After rescuing Lucas' punk ass from the guys that want him dead and a meeting with Lionel that left Lex more than a little chilled inside he decided to take Lucas to meet Paris. Partly because he was excited to have finally found his brother and wanted the two to meet and partly because Paris made him feel better more often than not.

Lex and Lucas walked up the steps to her front door, Lex produced a key and opened the door letting them in.

"Now who exactly are we seeing?" Lucas asked.

"Just a friend of mine. She's leaving town for awhile and I wanted you to meet her before she left."

"And you have keys to all of your friends houses?"

"No just hers."

"Alright. I'll play along." Lucas said lightly.

"It's not like that."

"Whatever you say." He gave a smirk.

Lex didn't respond. He walked over to the intercom and clicked the talk button. "Paris where are you?" By this time her new 2 year old dalmnation whom she had just adopted from a rescue shelter came bounding up to Lex. "Hey there Cicero." He bent down to pet the happy pup.

Her voice filled the room. "I'm getting dressed for my meeting. I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Alright."

"What do you need?"

"Nothing. I just have a surprise for you."

"Alright. If it has anything to do with caves or morphing people you can keep it to yourself." She joked.

"I promise that this surprise won't try and kill us. Now hurry up." He let go of the button.

Lucas stood chuckling at the two's conversation. He wandered around the foyer and adjoining sitting room, picking up nick naks and pictures here and there. Nothing particularly interested him, until she came down. Descending the stairs was a beauty that could only have been created by the gods and for his sole pleasure.

Paris jogged down the stairs as fast as her skirt would let her, carrying her black leather knee high boots in one hand, her black leather messenger bag over her shoulder and her jacket and a small duffle in her other hand. "I'm here. What's so important?" She asked Lex, Lucas was out of her line of sight. The dog ran up to her. "Hello my sweetie." She adjusted her belongings and petted the happy dog.

"Paris Stratford. I want you to meet Lucas Luthor. My brother." He gestured behind her.

Paris's jaw dropped open and everything in her hands fell to the floor as she turned around to see Lucas. "Oh my god. We all thought... Oh my god." Paris was at a loss for words. "Hi." She finally squeaked out.

"Hello Ms. Stratford." Lucas walked up to her and kissed the top of her hand.

"Paris."

"Alright. Hello Paris."

Lex handed Paris her things. "Thanks." She looked at him confused. "Coffee?"

Lex smirked at her confusion. "Yes, please."

"Come on." Paris led them to her kitchen, her large almost never been used kitchen, where a pot of coffee just finished brewing. She grabbed some mugs from the cabinet as Lex grabbed the creme from the refrigerator. The dog just walked around the room watching them all very intently. "So Lucas where are you from?"

"Edge city."

"That's a rough place. What were you doing there?"

"A little of this a little of that, mostly cards and pharmaceuticals."

"Gotcha." Paris poured him some coffee.

"What about you Paris. I know Lex is from Metropolis. Where are you from?"

"For now let's say L.A."

"Where'd you go to school?"

"I went to a few different schools in and around New York state before I landed in English boarding school."

"So you get bored easily?"

"No, I just get into trouble easily."

"That seems to be a theme around here."

"So it would." Paris said cautiously, not trusting this kid.

"So will you be enrolling at Smallville High next year?"

"No, I'm not a high schooler."

"Oh. College?"

"Maybe. I'm just trying to concentrate on my family for now."

"That's a good idea."

"Where did you go to college?"

"I didn't go to college, I own a production company and act. My TV show just ended a few months ago."

"Since it looks like you two are getting along so well I'm going to excuse myself to make a call." Lex stepped out into the hall and made his call.

"Finally." Lucas breathed a sigh.

"What?" Paris asked.

"Well I think it's obvious." He got up off the stool he was sitting on and walked over to Paris. He stopped short of actually being on top of her, "I think you and I would work out well together and Lex was getting in the way."

His face was mere inches from hers causing her to intensify her scowl. "Excuse me but Lex was getting in the way of nothing. Besides I'm not dating right now."

"That's why it's perfect. You're single, I'm single."

"No, me saying 'I'm not dating' wasn't an invitation for you to hit on me."

"Are you sure? This could be so good." He reached over and caressed her butt cheek through the tan suede of her skirt.

"Is that your hand on my ass?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"Maybe."

"Well maybe..." She reached back and grabbed his wrist, twisted it and pulled it up behind his back, "I don't want it there. Now sit down and finish your coffee." She let his arm go. Cicero let out a bark.

"Damn, you're a feisty one. I like that." Lucas rubbed his wrist as he sat down.

Lex came back in a few seconds later. "Well I don't want to make you late for your meeting. Lucas we are going to see another friend of mine."

"Lex I need your help with something in the library."

"Can it wait?"

"No. I swear that my Moby Dick is a forgery and I need a second opinion."

"Fine. Lucas why don't you wait in the car?"

"Great. See you later Paris." Lucas took the keys from Lex and walked out of the house.

Lex and Paris walked into the library, which was on the same floor. "Where is this alleged forgery?"

"There is no forgery Lex. God you know that I know my books better than that. Look I don't like this kid." Her voice went down an octive because of her seriousness.

"Oh come on you've known him five minutes."

"Lex he grabbed my ass." She hissed angrily.

"No he didn't. He probably just brushed up against you."

"I don't think so. It had palm on ass contact. Don't try to dismiss me."

"My god you're jealous. You think now that I have Lucas around I won't need you anymore."

"Do you really give me that little credit? Look the kid is bad news."

"I can't believe what a hypocrite you're being. Aren't you the one who complains when Helen does the same thing to you?"

"This is different. This is justified. Where'd you pick him up at Lex?"

Lex waved the question off. "That doesn't matter. I can't believe you of all people aren't willing to give this kid a chance."

"I can't believe you of all people are letting your inflated image of a total stranger get in the way of your better judgment."

"I can't believe that you're lecturing me on accepting someone new in my life."

"Lex he isn't who you think he is and he isn't a replacement for your mother or Julian so take the blinders off and see what's in front of you."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you're projecting your feelings of guilt and loss from them onto Lucas and you can't see this kid for who he really is."

"I can't believe you threw that at me. You of all people. You are being so passive aggressive right now I can't even look at you."

"That's good because your head is so far in the clouds that you couldn't see a bird if it hit you in the head."

"I'm leaving. Have a good night in Metropolis, congratulations on winning the script." He said bitterly.

"Your sincerity astounds me. I'll be here when you want to admit you're wrong."

Lex left the room but stopped short of the door. "I'd like to think that if the tables were turned I'd show you the support that I am sorely lacking here." He was monotone.

"I'd like to think that if the tables were turned I'd listen to you. Considering friends are supposed to trust and respect each other." Her tone reflected his.

"I'll be by later to check on Ciciero."

----The Kent's----

Clark and Pete were playing basketball in the driveway when LEx and Lucas pulled up.

Lex got out of his car, followed by Lucas, and walked over to the two teens. "Guys, I want you to meet somebody. This is Lucas, my brother."

Clark looked Lucas over, not trusting the new heir.

"What's up guys?" Lucas tried being friendly with them

Lex looked over to Clark to see watch is reaction was, he didn't know if he had the patience to go through a repeat of Paris.

Pete was oblivious. "Hey Lucas, you want to shoot some hoops?"

"Yeah, sure."

Pete grabbed the ball from Clark before heading over to the hoop with Lucas. "I'll be taking that." they went over to the basket and started a new game.

Lex was amused at CLark's speechlessness. "I didn't mean to drop a bombshell on you." He started back to his car with Clark in toe.

"I thought he was supposed to be, well...uh, dead."

Lex leaned back on the sports car. "Ah, just buried by my father. I've been looking for him for several months."

" Why didn't you say something?"

"Well, because I wasn't sure what I was going to find." Lex's cell phone rang before he could finifhs his thought. After a quick check of the caller ID he excused himself. "I've got to straighten something out with the bank. Lucas, we have to get going!"

"He, uh, you can hang out here if you want." Lex and Clark exchanged a look. "Give me a chance to get to know him a little bit."

"Uh, yeah, sure. Absolutely." Lucas agreed.

"I'll be back in an hour."

Clark walked over to the basketball game.

"So, uh, you and Lex seem close." Lucas mused.

"What, are you kidding? They're like brothers." Pete was not careful in choosing his words. Pete didn't realize his faux pas until Clark began to look uncomfortable.

"So, Lucas... Where did you grow up?" Clark asked as he passed to Lucas.

"All over." Lucas passed to Pete.

"Must be kind of weird not knowing your mom or your dad."

"No, not really. Parents always try to make you little versions of them selves. When you grow up without those constraints, you're allowed to become your own person."

"It's an interesting theory. I don't think I buy it, though." Clark said with a shrug.

Pete passed Lucas the ball. "All right. Let's, uh, let's take you and Lex, for example. If he were raised by your parents and you were raised by Lionel, you wouldn't grow up to be different people?"

"Well, I..." Clark struggled to articulate.

"Trust me, you'd be rich and miserable, and he'd be wearing flannel. But if you were left totally alone, abandoned by your parents, how do you think you'd turn out?" Lucas said with a chuckle.

"I'm not sure." Clark said with a clipped tone.

"It's when you find out what you're really made of." Lucas walked up to Clark as if to challenge him. "Are we going to stand around and chit-chat all day, or are we going to play some ball? Clark, let's see what you got."

"Check it up." Clark glared down at Lucas.

Lucas checked the ball to Clark. Clark shot from the key. When it banked off the rim the boys charged toward the basket, Clark hip checked Lucas causing him to fall.

Pete looked on with trepidation. He pulled Clark aside. "Be cool, man."

Clark nodded at him but he wasn't going to back down. After a few minutes of letting lucas think he was better than Clark he'd had enough. Lucas put up a shot but Clark jumped high and blocked it from the backboard.

" Hey, rocket man, we don't want anybody to get hurt." Pete said warning Clark.

"All right."

Clark and Lucas began playing again. Lucas wasn't going to take anything from Clark. He tried to pivot around him but wound up pivoting straight into him. "Aah!" Lucas dropped the ball and yelped in pain. He gripped his wounded shoulder. Pete glared at Clark for a second and went to check on Lucas. "Sorry, man. No hard feelings right? It's just a game."

"Right." Clark said unsteadily, realizing he took it too far.

Lucas chuckled. "Felt like you had a steel plate in there or something."

Clark gave an uneasy smile and shuffled his feet a bit.

"So what do you guys think of that piece a, that my brother keeps stashed here? Maybe I can convince him to share the wealth, so to speak."

"What are you talking about?" Clark asked astonished.

"You know, brunette, green eyes, body that could make a man beg for mercy."

"Are you talking about Paris?" Pete asked. Clark was still picking his jaw up off the floor.

"Yeah, Paris. I'd like to get to know her a lot better, and horizontally."

"I'm not saying that I don't agree with you but you don't get it. They're friends and inseparable at that. Besides I can guarantee you two things would happen if you went near her 1:Paris would drop kick your butt from here until next week. And 2: Lex would murder you when you landed." Pete gave a friendly smile.

"We'll see about that."

"Anyway isn't she a bit old for you? I mean she's your brother's age, and his friend, a bit weird if you ask me." Clark reasoned.

"Older women have a few advantages over girls our age. Basically they can take care of your needs in ways that would make high school girls run to confession."

Clark didn't say anything. He just stood there fuming.

"Any chance I could get a ride back to the mansion? Dad wanted to talk over some stuff with me this afternoon."

"Yeah, I'll give you a lift." Pete offered.

----Casa de Luthor----

Lex threw the doors of his office open, in anger, and walked in only to find Lionel smirking at him from behind his desk.

"I just spent the last two hours at the bank." Lex spat angrily. "Any idea why my accounts would be frozen Dad."

"You know Lex, I'm tired of your constant attempts at mutiny."

"Yeah, well, you didn't leave me too many options. It was either that or the plank."

Lionel chuckled. "It wasn't wise of you, son, to wager all your assets as collateral against LexCorp when you took out your loan. You see, now that your company is a LuthorCorp property, everything you own belongs to me. I want you out of the mansion."

Lex was shocked but tried not to show it instead he tried to intimidate Lionel with the one card he had left. "Come on, Dad. Isn't this a little futile? Lucas and I will be back home after we vote you out."

Lex turned to leave but Lucas was blocking the door way. "Don't be so sure about that, Lex."

Lex just stared at Lucas in disbelief.

"Lucas and I had a very interesting father and son chat. Long overdue."

Lucas walked in and stood next to Lionel. "It may be hard for you to imagine, Lex, but some sons don't ever question their allegiance to family."

Lex laughed dryly. "You are being incredibly naive if you think you can trust him."

" Something you pick up at the tables, Lex. You size up your options. You never know when you might have to change your strategy mid-hand."

Lex shook his head in disappointment.

"Well, Lex, looks like you loose again."

----Hotel Kent----

Clark was walking down the stairs into the kitchen when he heard a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." Clark called to his parents who were in the other room.

Clark opened the door to see Lex is standing on the porch with Paris' dog.

"Hey, Lex."

"Clark, I'm sorry to bother you."

"No problem. Is everything all right?" Clark asked concerned.

"No, it's not."

Martha and Jonathan walked into the kitchen when they heard the boys talking.

"Lex, what is it?" Martha asked with motherly concern.

"According to my father, I'm uh, no longer a Luthor. That used to be a dream of mine but he's left me with nothing, not even a place to live. So, I, uh, was wondering...." Lex hesitated and glanced at Jonathan "If, uh....I could stay with you for a while?"

Martha spoke up first, she knew Jonathan was warming up to Lex but she still didn't trust this particular reaction. "Not that we mind Lex we're more than happy to have you stay. You're always welcome here but wouldn't you be more comfortable at Paris'. She has more room, and no farm animals."

"She's out of town for the night. In fact I'm supposed to be watching Cicero for her that's why he's with me. I don't want to drag her into my family business, she's had quite enough of that lately and this may push her over the edge. Besides she and I aren't on very good terms at the moment."

"Oh?"

"We had a rather curt discussion this morning I basically called her a hypocrite and a liar and she told me where to shove it, with written instructions on how to get there. And she has a lot of room to gloat right now not to mention no particular reason to help me out. Not that you do either but I was hoping."

"Lex you are more than welcome to stay here until this clears up." Jonathan piped up. Clark smiled.

----Day two---

Martha walked into the kitchen early the next morning to find Jonathan watching Lex do chores. "You're up early... Even for you."

"Ah, I couldn't sleep."

Martha was over by the coffee pot making herself a cup. "Would that have anything to do with our new houseguest?"

"Why would his father throw him out? I mean whatever he's done couldn't have been any worse than the other things he's done in the past. He's not that bad a kid."

Clark ambled down the stairs. "Anyone seen Lex?"

"Yeah, he's out in the barn." Jonathan motioned to the window with a nod of his head.

Clark looked at Jonathan shocked and was about to say something.

"Well, he got up at the crack of dawn, and insisted on doing some chores to earn his keep while he's here."

"Oh, you've got him mucking out the stalls already, huh?"

"Ha ha. Yes." Jonathan chuckled.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Clark said with a grin.

"Yeah. Hey, son.... All kidding aside, I don't want you to forget that he did investigate you for a year. And remember what's in the storm cellar."

"Dad, I trust Lex."

"It's not that I don't Clark, I just don't want him left alone on this farm. He could use it to try and get back into his father's good graces." Jonathan was serious.

Clark looked at his dad with disbelief and betrayal written on his face then headed out to the barn. Clark watched Lex work for a few minutes before speaking up. "Well, I was going to give you some tips, but it looks like you have everything under control." He said amused.

Lex talked as he worked. "My family had a ranch in Montana. I used to go there in the summers with my mom."

Clark sat on a baled of hay listening. "Sounds like fun."

"We would work right alongside the ranch hands. Everyone did their fair share. It was the only time I felt, uh, normal."

"Do you ever go back?"

Lex tossed some more straw into a nearby wheelbarrow as he spoke. "After my mother died, my father sold the property. I guess you could say he was never a, uh, man of the people." Lex put the pitchfork down and headed to where Clark was to grab more straw.

"Let me give you a hand with that."

Lex carried the straw without and trouble. "Thanks Clark, but I'd like to prove to your father once and for all that some Luthors pull their own weight." Lex tossed the straw into a stall and turned to Clark. "See I'm not made of glass."

"No one ever said you were. And my father does like you."

Lex cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. "Really?" He said sarcastically.

"Look he has been warming up to you, a lot. He's trying Lex."

"I know. Him letting me stay here was a bit of a shock though."

"What are you going to tell Paris when she gets home?"

"She doesn't need to know everything. Contrary to popular belief we are not married."

Clark Chuckled. "I know that. But she care and you know that. Plus she'll figure it out when she goes to pick up her dog and you're not there."

"I'll deal with Paris in my own way. Right now I need to finish mucking these stalls and your father mentioned something earlier about post digging."

----Lies, Treachery and Deceit, it's the Luthor way----

Lionel walked into Lex's old office, which now resembled a high priced video arcade, to find Lucas on the couch playing video games. "Lucas. We've got to talk."

"Sure Dad, what's up?" Lucas asked annoyed, not looking away form his game.

"What's "up" is that you have yet to sign over your shares to me as we'd agreed. Please, turn that off." Being a teenager and a royal pain in the ass Lucas ignored Lionel, just like a real son does. "Lucas, please turn that off. Now!"

Lucas finally gave in and shut the game off. "Let's see....what's wrong with this picture? Hmm. I trick Lex, I play along with your little game, and you offer me, what, 10 million dollars to walk away?"

"I'd say it's a little more lucrative than your card scams."

" Hmm. Well, Dad, the deal sounded really good at the time but that is until I realized what a Luthor goes for these days."

Lucas walked over to Lex's desk and grabbed a manila folder. "You see, I went through the LuthorCorp financials, and it turns out I'm worth five times what you're offering me, and that only takes into account what you report to Uncle Sam."

" Don't be getting delusions of grandeur, my boy." Lionel said with a dark chuckle.

"Tell me something, Dad."

"What?"

"Why didn't you try and find me before I was 12?"

"Because you're mother lied to me. She told me you died as a baby."

"But I'm still not worth your time."

"I took care of you the best way I knew how, Lucas."

Lucas began to grow bored and decided to play pool. "Huh. At arm's length, with a checkbook."

"There were scenarios.... Lucas, now it's your turn to live up to our agreement."

Lionel put the papers down and held a pen out to Lucas. "Please. Just sign. Please, son."

Lucas contemplated for a moment then relented. "Okay. Okay, Dad." Lucas signed, but not what Lionel would have hoped for. 'Bite Me' was written on the signature line. "You might want to, uh, have your lawyers look over that."

Lionel wasn't going to argue this. He just left the room.

----The talon----

Clark and Lana were talking at the coffee bar when Lucas walked in.

"You're hired Clark." Lana said before Lcuas walked up to them.

"Don't you think you should check with the boss first?"

Lana had no idea who this kid was or why he was in her face. Clark clarified. "Lana, this is Lucas. Lex's brother."

"Uh, Lex never mentioned he had a brother." Lana said, shocked.

"Well, I wasn't exactly on his Christmas card list." Lucas paused to look at the decor. "Uh, I like the whole Egyptian/Assyrian vibe. It's clear you've put a lot of time and effort into this place."

" Uh, yeah, yeah, Lex does too."

"Well, Lex is, uh, he's not exactly in the picture anymore." Lucas said cockily.

"Lionel threw Lex out of the mansion." Clark said angrily.

"How's he doing down on the farm, Clark?" Lucas said sarcastically.

"He's doing great. He's a survivor." Clark's tone was low.

"Well, I hope that he can survive on nothing, because anything that was his is now mine, including this place. Maybe his little friend Paris can help him out of this one."

"You should know Lex wasn't my boss. He was my partner." Lana said sternly.

"Oh, even better." A bitter smile crossed Lucas' features.

----We haven't heard from Chloe lately. Let's go to the Torch----

Clark entered quietly. "Ahem."

Chloe turned around to see Clark carrying a small brown paper bag and a togo cup from the Talon. "Hey. I didn't know the Talon delivered."

"I decided to make an exception." Clark handed Chloe the bag and cup.

Chloe drank and talked as she walked to her desk. "I assume you got the job, then."

"Apparently, the editor of the Torch put me over the top."

"So how does it feel to be a minimum wage earner?" Chloe asked as she popped a piece of muffin into her mouth.

"Great. But there seem to be some personnel changes over at the Talon."

"Are you talking about Lucas Luthor?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

Chloe chuckled, amused. "Are you kidding? The prodigal Luthor son returns, and to top it all off, the new heir has taken over the castle. I mean, that's the story that could land you a byline on the front page of the Daily Planet."

"I just--I don't trust Lucas. I think he's hiding something."

Chloe straightened in her chair and crossed one leg under her. "Come on Clark, cut the guy a break. He's had a really tough life. He bounced from foster home to foster home. I mean, he never got adopted."

"Well, when you were looking at his past, you didn't find anything weird at all."

Chloe looked over at her monitor and typed something. "Um, just the source."

She grabbed a piece of paper out of her printer, looked at it and handed it to Clark who was puzzled by it.

----Paris' house again----

Paris got home, early afternoon, pulled her new, black, Range Rover into the garage and went upstairs to unpack her things. After everything was in its place she went to the hall and grabbed the mail off the table. She flipped through the normal bills and magazines, an envelope with the LuthorCorp logo caught here eye. She opened the letter only to be shocked and dismayed at what she saw there. "That little shit!" She ran upstairs, grabbed her messenger bag, and threw in the letter, credit cards, bank book and a couple thousand dollars from the safe (just in case). She slipped her jacket on and grabbed her car keys and ran out the door.

----Fortress of Solitude----

Lex read the paper Clark gave him, disbelieving what it said. "Metropolis United Charities."

Clark was standing across from Lex. "Chloe said Lucas's file didn't even exist two weeks ago. Suddenly, there it is."

"Like somebody wanted him to be found. Of course, the detectives I hired failed to mention where they got their information."

"Do you think your father knew about Lucas all along?"

"Do you even have to ask? Lucas was in on this from the beginning."

Lex started to Pace angrily.

Clark didn't know what to do. "If your father was hiding Lucas why would he suddenly let you find him?"

"Because ever since he took LexCorp, he knows I've been looking for an opportunity to get back at him. He co-opted Lucas before I could." Lex wakled to the stairs. "While I've been playing checkers, my father's been playing chess."

Clark shook his head as Lex walked out of the barn.

----Lex doesn't live here anymore----

Lex walked into his office and surveyed what Lucas had done to it. New treadmill, weights, TV, video games, stereo. "Wow. Hey, I love what you've done with the place. Is this newest scam, huh--corporate titan in training? I'm sure some salesman at The Sharper Image is happy."

Lucas stopped his chin ups and grabbed a towel. "Unlike you, Lex, I don't live in my father's shadow. My training's over. What can I do for you?"

Lex shrugged and smirked. "Feeling pretty good about yourself right now, aren't you?" Lex walked across the room and took his rightful place back at his desk. "I got to admit, you and my father played me brilliantly. Just out of idle curiosity, when did he contact you?"

"Three weeks ago. He told me who he was, said you were looking for me. Wanted to use me for some corporate raid." Lucas and Lex exchanged a look. "Let's face it Lex. I'm the son he wants."

"Careful Lucas. You're showing your hand. Come on. What is it you're really after, huh? His affection?"

Lucas smirked, amused at Lex.

"You really believe if you stick around, he's going to love you? Trust me. You don't know him at all."

Lucas was tired of Lex. "Get out, Lex. You lost."

Lex shrugged, gave a shrug and got up. He paused before he walked out the door. "I found you because he wanted me to. High school kids can track you down."

"You mean your friend Clark Kent?"

Lex's tone was amused. "I bet a lot of people are out looking for you. Like your friends from Edge City."

"Oh, wow, Lex, is that a threat?" Lucas said with sarcasm.

"You know, Lucas, the Luthor gene pool is a shark tank, and our father's just chummed the waters."

Lucas didn't say anything, he just stood his ground.

"Good luck. You'll need it." Lex walked out of the office unconcerned.

Lex left the mansion but missed Paris' who got there about an hour later and was about to go on a rampage.

Paris stormed into the mansion in search of Lucas, or Lex, or whichever Luthor would be the unfortunate one to cross her path. "LEX GET YOUR PALE ASS OUT HERE! AND BRING MY DOG!" She yelled at the top of her lungs as she ran toward his office. The only one she found was Lucas who was sitting on the couch watching TV.

"I'm sorry Lex isn't in right now. You can leave a message at the beep." He was snide. Te turned the TV off and lounged on the sofa.

"What are you doing in here? Where's Lex?"

"You could say that Lex found different living accommodations."

"I could, could I?"

"Or you could say that my father and I threw the bald freak out on his ass."

"He's not a freak! Don't call him that!"

"He's 22 and bald. That has freak written all over it."

"You don't know anything about him. Why would you do this to him?"

"Because I don't need him anymore." He crossed his hands behind his head and smirked.

"You ungrateful little shit. He's been looking for you ever since he found out about you and this is how you repay him. I hope you are prepared for what he's going to do to you. Because it's not going to be pretty."

"I don't think that'll be a problem. You see Lex no longer has my father's money to play with."

A look of horror crossed Paris' features. "He didn't."

"Oh he did. I am now the sole heir to LuthorCorp and all her holdings. Which will soon include your house and all your property. That is why you came over here isn't it?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "My you are an astute one. What possible interest could my house be to you?"

Lucas got up and crossed the room until he was centimeters from her, he circled her like a hawk circles prey. "You know as well as I do that this isn't about your house. All you have to do to get it back is admit that I am the one you want."

She wouldn't be intimidated. "I'd rather live in a refrigerator box than be with you."

Lucas stopped when they were face to face. "Well then enjoy. Or you could live with the Kents, I hear they've been taking in strays lately. Either way your house belongs to LuthorCorp in two days so I'd get packing if I were you."

"This isn't over Lucas, not by a long shot. I grew up in this world, I used to ruin peoples lives for the fun of it. Lex did the same. It's in our blood. But it's engrained in our souls. You don't know what you just signed on for."

"I'm not scared."

"You should be. Because you are way out of your league" Paris turned heel and left.

---- Kent Farm Dinner Time----

The Kents and Lex were sitting at the table enjoying dinner, talking about their days.

Paris came bounding up the back steps and knocked on the back door.

"Hey Paris. We weren't expecting to see you today. Would you like to join us for dinner?" Martha said as she let Paris in.

"Oh no thank you Martha. I couldn't eat a thing right now." Cicero came bounding in to greet her. "Hey baby. How are you?" She petted her happy pet.

Lex knew the only time Paris didn't eat was if she was either depressed or in a state of severe anger, then she drank vodka, smoked a pack of cigarettes and yelled. Then there was that whole other level of scary that she could reach, that's when the yelling stopped, he was waiting for the scary.

"Paris what's up?" Lex asked cautiously.

Paris stood and glared at him. "Oh we need to talk, now." Paris said deadly serious.

'Yep super scary.' "If you'll all excuse me." Lex pushed himself away from the table and followed Paris outside. They walked to the barn for some privacy, followed by the dog. Paris hopped up on a stack of hay bails while Lex stood in front of her. They sat in silence for a moment so Paris could collect herself. "Look Paris, I've been kicked out of my house, my money is all frozen and I may well lose my company. Can you save the 'I told you so' speech for another time?" Lex said dryly.

"Well then it looks like we have something in common." Paris said as she produced the document from LuthorCorp. "Your father wants my house too." Lex took the documents from her. "I'm sure he'll use it as a breeding ground to make more illegitimate demon spawn."

Lex looked up at her from the papers he was reading. "Well it's official. He wants you out by Monday."

"Well yeah I am literate. The man bought a bank in less than 12 hours. I'm sure getting my house took a snap of his fingers. The question is how do we get it back?"

"You're asking me? In case you've forgotten I don't have a leg to stand on."

"We could work together. What about asking my father for help?"

"And that would go over how?"

"Like the Hindenburg over an oil refinery. I see a duel to the death starring those two, but I'd watch that."

"How are your bank accounts?"

"Full."

"Accessible?"

"Dunno. I grabbed cash before I left, and I have all my credit cards on me."

"Cards are no good. They're traceable. How much cash?"

"$5,000."

"Alright. We're going to have to go in there and take them on ourselves."

"This ought to be fun."

"Like a visit to the dentist. Why don't you go and grab some stuff from your house and I'll get my things together here."

"Are we going on a trip?"

"We can't stay here. The Kents have been more than hospitable to me but I don't want to get them caught up in this. They have more to lose than either of us."

"True. I'll be back." She hopped off the stack.

"Don't go by the mansion."

"I wasn't go...."

Lex cut her off. "I know you. If you even think of going by to talk to my father and Lucas you're on your own. I don't trust them one bit. And you know where the weapons are Miss Anger Management."

"Fine."

Later that evening Lex went out to the barn to talk to Jonathan who was working on a machine.

"Mr. Kent."

Jonathan turned the machine off when he saw Lex.

"I just wanted to say thank you for everything you and your family have done for me."

"You going somewhere, Lex?" Jonathan asked when he saw Lex's bags.

"Well, I need to talk to my brother, and you know what they say about fish and houseguests after three days."

Jonathan chuckled. "You're welcome back anytime."

"That's nice of you to say."

"Look, I gave you every single crappy farm job I could think of. But you did them all. You didn't complain. Not once, that's better than Clark."

Lex just nodded at the compliment.

"You would have made one hell of a farmer. You work hard and you're smart. I'm proud of you."

Lex smiled. "Thanks, Mr. Kent."

Lex tentatively put his hand out and Jonathan accepted and shook.

"Sure. Where is Paris? Shouldn't she be getting back here by now?"

"She should, but you know Paris."

"Not as well as you do."

"I told her not to go to the mansion. And since she can't go inside she probably purposely took the long way to her house so she could scowl at it form the car and shake her fist."

"Are you serious?"

"She's melodramatic."

"She's a smart girl."

"And stubborn with a touch of violent."

"Where is Cicero?"

"He's inside with Mrs. Kent and Clark. Mrs. Kent said we could pick him up when we got everything under control with my father."

As they chatted Lucas entered the barn with Paris, who was handcuffed. He pushed her forward and cocked the gun.

Lex was afraid that this situation might get out of control. "Lucas. What are you doing? Paris what the hell did you do?"

"Nothing." She said timidly.

"You went by the mansion." He assuced.

"Well, yeah."

Lex decided to deal with Lucas now and Paris later. "Lucas put the gun down and Let Paris go."

"Um. No. You two shut up. Lex I'm finishing what you started. With you gone I'll be able to get rid of Lionel and keep LuthorCorp for myself."

"Well that's all well and good, but where do I fit in?" Paris asked.

"You my dear will be my unwilling sex slave."

"I want a change in job description. Let's just down grade me to expensive hostage." She said dryly.

He gripped her smaller wrists tight between his larger hand. "Why don't you shut up and watch me kill my brother?"

Lex put his hands up in a surrender. "Lucas listen to me. No one needs to get hurt here. We can make sure you're taken care of."

"Is that what you think I need Lex? To be taken care of? I'm not some whore who you need to keep comfortable."

That angered Paris. "I feel that was directed at me. And I would like to clarify..."

"SHUT UP!!!" Lucas yelled, causing her wince.

Lex leveled Paris with a glare. "Paris not now. Lucas you need help."

Paris gave Lex a 'Duh' look.

"I don't need help Lex I need you and Lionel dead. So shut up and let me kill you." He was getting desperate.

Paris sighed.

"Do you have any objections?" Lucas said to Paris.

"Bored now."

"Wha..." Lucas didn't get to finish his sentence before Paris stomped on his foot. He yelled in Pain and dropped his gun. "You little." Paris raised her left foot again but Lucas caught it this time, just as she wanted. She used her right foot to jump off the ground and deliver a round house kick to his head, making him fall dropping her. She landed on her shoulders with her arms pinned behind her, Lucas just landed on his back. Jonathan ran over and grabbed the gun, Lex ran to help Paris sit up.

"Are you alright? Did you hurt your wrist?"

"No it's fine. I landed on my shoulder." She said as he helped her to her feet.

"You just had to go by my house didn't you?" He glared at her. "You suck at taking orders."

"Well duh."

"You could have gotten yourself killed."

"Lex..."

Jonathan cut them off. "Um you two there's still the issue of Paris being in hand cuffs and Lucas unconscious on the floor."

"Well I can't very well do anything." Paris said, gesturing with her hands, that were behind her back, for emphasis. Is there a key anywhere?" Jonathan gave the gun to Lex and walked over to Lucas to pat him down. Lex didn't move from Paris' side. She looked over at Lex. "I'm not going anywhere."

Lex looked at her seriously. "I'm debating on whether to be relieved or pissed."

She could see it in his eyes that she had scared the hell out of him and he couldn't take much more. "Which side is winning?"

"The side where I yell and you listen."

"I could call my dad if I wanted that."

"Or you could not be a pain." Lex sniped at her.

"Found it." Jonathan produced a key and walked over, releasing Paris from her bonds.

"Thank you." Paris started rubbing her bruised wrists.

"Can I have those? They may come in handy the next time she tries to play hero."

"Shush. Now what do we do with skippy the sociopath?"

"Mr. Kent could I have some rope?"

"Are we going to hog tie him and let a randy bull make him his wife?"

"No." Lex answered shocked. A grin crossed his features. "I worry about you."

"There's a support group, they meet every other Thursday."

Jonathan came back with the rope. "Lex what are you going to do with him?"

"Don't worry. This is just to keep him secure until we get to metropolis. Paris is there enough room in the trunk of your SUV for him?"

"Yeah."

----Lex's study----

Lionel was lounging in Lex's chair sipping a glass of 200 year old brandy and looking over some documents. The phone rang, disturbing him. He grimaced as he answered it. "This is Lionel."

"Lionel Please help us." Paris's shaking voice came over the other end.

Lionel sat up alert and tried to control his voice. "What? Paris, where are you?"

"I'm in at the office in Metropolis. Lucas has Lex tied to a chair and he's going to kill him. He got distracted and left. I managed to get out of my restraints and ran in here to call you as soon as I could. Lionel get here please." SHe pleaded with him.

"All right, all right. I'll take the, uh, chopper. I'll be there in half an hour. What office does he have Lex in?"

"Yours."

Lionel could hear a door fly open with a crash on the other end and someone stomp up to Paris. "You bitch. Get off the phone." A shot was fired and the line went dead. Lionel paled and hung the phone up.

As soon as the helicopter landed on the helipad Lionel ran out and through the roof entrance to the building. He ran straight to his office and threw the doors open. He saw Lex tied to a chair bound by duct tape, and Paris bound in duct tape on one of the couches. Lucas was standing over Lex with a gun in his face. "Lucas?" Lionel said fearfully.

"Glad you could make it dad, you're about to witness the making of a soul heir."

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Come on, Dad, this is exactly what you wanted."

Lex spoke up. "Pitted us against each other, and we played into your Cain and Abel fantasy just like you knew we would."

"Put the gun down, Lucas. Put it down."

Instead Lucas walked behind Lex and put the gun to the back of his head.

"Lucas don't!" Paris called from the couch, frantic.

"Shut up Paris. You could have made this all go away but you had to be difficult. Now you get to watch Lex die and know you could have prevented it." Lucas cocked the lever. "Watching his brains splatter all over the carpet should make for a lovely visual when you try to sleep."

Lionel tried to handle the situation. "Paris no one's going to die. Boys, calm down. Calm--"

Lucas cut him off. "You're the one who told me I needed to finish what I started. Well, as long as Lex is around, I'll always have to fight for my place in this family."

Paris snorted a laugh. "Hate to say it Junior but you'll never have a place in this family. Their all stocked up on the crazy and dysfunctional."

"You shut up!" He yelled at her as he pointed the gun at her.

"Paris quiet. Lucas, you are not going to shoot your brother or Paris."

A predatory smile crossed Lucas' features. "You're right. You are." Lucas pulled another gun out and pointed it at Lionel.

Lionel, Paris, and Lex all fell silent. Lionel swallowed before continuing. "What do you expect to achieve, Lucas? Tell me."

"Isn't it obvious, Dad? Once we're both out of the picture, young Lucas here inherits everything."

Lucas thrust the gun into Lionel's hand and made him point it at Lex. "Pull the trigger."

Lionel looked fearfully between Lex and Lucas. "Think, Lucas, just think...."

"Lucas. Think this through. I'm not your enemy, Lucas." Lex spoke up.

"Lucas if you let us go we'll make this entire thing disappear." Paris tried to reason.

Lex tried to assure him again. "I'm not the one who deliberately kept you in the foster care system."

"You're not helping things, Lex."

"Lucas your mother's alive. Lionel had her institutionalized." Paris said.

"What?" Lucas asked in desbelief.

"She's lying son. Paris shut up or I'll shoot you."

"If you do that my father will make sure there is no LuthorCorp left over for anyone to inherit. Not to mention that you'll be better hidden than Jimmy Hoffa." She wasn't kidding. This was about to get way out of hand.

Lex spoke up to get the attention off Paris. "Did you ever wonder why you were never adopted... If you were in trouble how you always got bailed out at the last minute? Don't tell me you thought you were just lucky?" Lucas looked between Lex and Lionel with shock and realization of his face. "We're a social experiment. One son gets everything, the other gets nothing."

"That's ludicrous. I would never do that."

"Yeah you would. Just like you made sure I found Lucas when you wanted me to. Just like you put his mother in an asylum."

"Just like you bugged you own son's house, Lionel."

Lucas was getting angry with Lex. "Shut up. You wanted to use me too."

"Yes, I did, and for that I am truly sorry. But trust me, trying to gain his love and respect is not worth it. It's not there and you only wind up with blood on your hands."

Lucas looked back over at Lionel. "Is it true? Is that what you did to me?"

Lionel reached out to Lucas with his free hand. "We've got a lot to talk about, son."

Lucas slapped the hand away angrily. "After you kill Lex. For once, I want the blood to be on your hands." Lucas grabbed the hand with the gun and put it to Lex's forehead. Lucas kept his gun on Lionel the entire time. "Time's up, Dad."

Lionel tried to buy some time by glancing between Lex and Lucas. "No... I can't do it."

"That's just too bad."

"Lucas, please, don't. I will not kill my son."

"Well I didn't want to do it myself. But when in Rome..." Lucas put his gun to Lex's temple. "You may want to move out of the way dad, blood splatter is hard to get out of cotton."

"You psychotic little bastard!" Lionel pistol whipped Lucas, knocking him to the ground. Lionel fired his gun twice directly at Lucas, Lex and Paris flinched as the gun shots filled the room.

Lucas looked up at him panting, a small pool of blood was on his mouth where he was hit, but otherwise he was fine. "It must be in the genes." Lucas said dryly.

Lex and Paris began to chuckle.

Lionel looked down at his gun. "It's blanks."

Lucas stood and pulled the clip from his gun. "This one too."

"Too bad you couldn't always shoot blanks." Paris said from the couch. "Or else we may not be here."

Lex started laughing at Lionel's shocked expression. "Checkmate dad."

Lucas freed Lex from the chair, ripping the tape off. Lionel still stood shocked.. Lucas helped Lex from the chair. Then they walked over to the couch. Lex stood Paris up and held onto her while Lucas ripped the tape off. The three stood with satisfied smiles on their faces. He threw the balled up tape at Lionel's feet.

"Come on, Lucas." Lex called.

"You three orchestrated this whole ordeal?" Lionel croaked out.

"What's wrong dad? Aren't you proud of our team work?" Lex said with a smirk.

"You three are disturbed." There was a vacant look on Lionel's face as he spoke.

"We learned from the best." Lex said before they walked out of the room, leaving Lionel shaking with anger.

----Lex is home----

Moving men were taking the things Lucas had ordered out of the house. Lex looked up from his paperwork. "That can stay." Lex motioned to the TV

"Uh, yes sir." The men left the TV and took the rest of the stuff.

Lionel walked in. "Lex?"

Lex looked at him, but said nothing. The moving men kept working.

Lionel smiled a bit. "Glad to see that you're making yourself at home again, son." Lex still said nothing. "All right, Lex. How are we going to repair this uh rift between us? Hmm?"

Lionel sat down in a chair next to the fire place, Lex said nothing as he got up and walked over to Lionel. Lex sat down in the chair opposite Lionel. "You mean, how are you going to keep the whole Lucas affair quiet?" They studied each other before Lionel spoke.

"I was, uh, thinking of giving you LexCorp back. Majority stake, no strings attached."

"Except for my silence."

"Well, I've always believed that family business should be kept within the family."

"And what about Paris. She should never have been dragged into this and she doesn't have the same obligation to family as I do. I'm sure Malcolm would love to hear that his only daughter was caught up in a Luthor family game of cat and mouse that nearly got her killed."

"Well she has been given her house back and all the property. I think she'll understand that this is a matter we'd like best kept quiet. Besides I've always considered Paris family, you know that."

"I don't know. She was pretty upset."

"Paris listens to you. I'm sure you can get her to see things our way."

"Our way dad? You want me to betray a lifelong friendship just to keep you from going higher on her father's shit list. You obviously don't know me."

"What do you want Lex? An apology?"

"That'd be a nice start."

"Fine. I'm sorry I kept Lucas away from you for so long. The situation was mismanaged.

"Say you were wrong."

"About what?"

"Everything you have done to me in my entire life."

"You have a lot of growing up to do Alexander." Lionel stood to leave.

"And Lucas is under my protection now. You'll never find him."

Lionel pondered the statement. "You remember the fable of the frog and the scorpion, Lex?"

"Yeah, Dad. The frog helped the scorpion cross the river. The scorpion repaid his kindness by stinging the frog."

""Why did you do it?" asked the dying frog asked him. And the scorpion replied, "Because it is my nature." Believe me Lex, your brother will never change. I've watched him over the years. The boy's a sociopath."

"And I wonder which side of the family tree he got that from." Lex dead panned.

Lionel didn't answer, he just looked at Lex.

"Goodnight, Dad. I'll be sure to give Lucas your love."

Lionel walked out og the room in silence.

----Casa Kent----

Clark was unloading bags of feed from the back of the truck when LEx pulled up in his convertible.

"My mom told me you were going to come back and get the rest of your stuff." Clark said as Lex got out and walked toward him.

Lex smirked and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Surprisingly, my dad's had a change of heart."

"I'm sorry that Lucas didn't turn out to be the brother you wanted." Clark said with an apologetic look on his face as he leaned up against the truck.

Lex just shrugged and kicked a piece of gravel. "Considering his father, I'm surprised he's still alive at all."

"Where is Lucas now?"

Lex slid up next to him. "Safe. But I'm going to have some work to do to regain his trust."

"You will. You're not your father."

"Sometimes, Clark, we're all held hostage by the will of our fathers. The only difference is, your dad is a good man. All my father does is push people away. Your dad opened his home to me, no questions asked."

"As long as I live, I don't think I'm ever going to understand your family." Clark shook his head.

"Neither will I. Just remember, my father may try and rule the world, but yours will inherit the earth."

"You know if it makes you feel any better, you'll always be a part of this family." Clark gave Lex a smile.

"Thanks Clark."

Clark felt the conversation was getting too mushy. "So have you um patched things up with Paris?"

"Yeah, I apologized for being a jerk and she listened. Then she apologized for not listening to me and going to the house and I listened. Then I drove her to the airport. She'll be back in June."

"Where's she going for three and a half months?"

"Filming in Canada Albert's up there with her directing so they should have fun."

"Who has Cicero?"

"She took him with. I've got a date with Helen tonight so I'd better get my stuff and go."

"I'll see you later."

"Bye Clark." Lex stepped to leave but stopped Clark looked at him for a minute and hugged him. After he let go Lex nodded. "Thanks Clark."

AN: Yeah, I wanted a nice Clark LEx friend moment because they were so far and few between last season, Schmucky Clark! Anywho. Paris is gone for 13 weeks! That's right Paris isn't coming back until right before the wedding, that's right folks! I smell conflict and strife

!!!


	12. Caffeine is your friend

AN: Okay the events of the entire last part of the season between prodigal and calling happened. Paris was not there for them because she was in Canada shooting a movie. She came back a few days after Witness.

----Smallville Medical Center three days after Witness----

Lionel had stopped by the Smallville Medical Center a few times that week to see his injured employee and play the part of the compassionate employer. He hated that particular roll, he found it beneath him, but it made great press. He was walking to the elevator when Paris emerged from a different hallway carrying a prescription bag. She was wearing a suit, looking like she was headed off somewhere, but her face showed that she was distraught, she was reading the label on whatever bag she was carrying mumbling to herself she hadn't even seen Lionel until she almost ran him over. She stopped she saw a pair of Italian shoes peering up at her, she looked up, saw Lionel and looked as if she was going to vomit.

"You're the last person I expected to see here." She said, trying to cover.

"One could say the same about you Paris. Is everything alright? Lionel asked, seeming concerned.

"Oh I'm just here for a routine checkup, and a re-fill on some allergy meds. I'm not used to these Kansas springs." She lied to the older man, then dropped the hand carrying the bag to her side.

"Lex used to be the same way. How was your trip?" He didn't push the medication question.

She relaxed. "It went well thank you. Actually I'm on my way back from an emergency meeting in Metropolis. Hence the business apparel." She gestured to the suit she was wearing. "Someone's unwillingness to follow orders undid six months of pre-production negotiations, long excruciatingly boring negotiations, and I don't feel like losing money so I had to go fix it. You know, fire people. If there's one thing I hate worse than losing time it's incompetence."

Lionel chuckled at her comment. "Yes I am familiar with the concept. And the business attire suits you quite well Paris, I'm sure you are quite a force to be reckoned with in meetings."

A nurse came calling after Paris. "Ms. Stratford there you are. You forgot."

Paris turned around, cut the nurse off, and broke Lionel's view of what she was carrying. "Thank you." Snatching the pamphlet out of her hand and stuffing it into her purse with her prescription. The nurse gave her an awkward look and turned away. Paris turned around and saw Lionel holding the elevator for her.

"Ever the consummate gentlemen aren't you Lionel." She said stepping into the elevator.

Lionel just chuckled. "You're welcome."

"Sorry, thank you. I've been a little stressed out, everyone in my path makes a good target."

"You stress wouldn't have anything to do with a bit of unexpected news would it?" Lionel said looking straight ahead.

Paris got nervous, she didn't dare look over at Lionel. He would have been able to see straight through to her fear. "Wh-what kind of unexpected news?"

"You know, Lex and Dr. Bryce, they're getting married."

"Oh." Paris' face fell. "No I hadn't heard that yet, between being out of town and other work related things I guess I've been out of the loop."

"Don't worry, I heard it from the inquisitor." Lionel chuckled.

The elevator opened to the ground floor and they exited, running into Helen.

"Paris, Mr. Luthor, what a surprise." Paris said with a fake smile.

"Yeah that seems to be the general theme of the day." Paris remarked sarcastically, not smiling at all. "Congratulations by the way, I hope you and Lex are happy together. Lionel, always a pleasure" She gave a half wave before turning and walking out of the hospital.

Helen just looked after her questioningly then turned back to Lionel. "I will never understand her."

"The thing you have to understand Helen is that for the longest time Paris and Lex were all the other had, they couldn't trust the people around them and they hated their fathers. Still do actually. They have come to depend on each other heavily over the years. She'll warm up to the idea." He gave a small smile.

"With all due respect Mr. Luthor I am not going to let a childhood friend of Lex's jeopardize our happiness." Helen said icily.

"Helen aren't you supposed to be out of town?" Lionel asked pointedly.

Helen countered as she walked into the elevator. "I was, until today. I just stopped by here to pick something up and I'm headed home." The elevator doors closed before Lionel could say another word.

----Later that day----

After going home and getting some other work done Paris changed her clothes and headed to Lex's to pick up some things she left there when she left. She didn't know why she hadn't done it earlier but she sure had reason to now. She had decided to go when Lex was going to be at work and hopefully when Helen was going to be on shift, or at least wedding planning.

Paris managed to get into the house unannounced and up to her room without much fanfare. In fact just about all the staff and security she ran into were more than happy to see her. She was in the closet folding a sweater and talking on her cell phone when Helen walked in. Paris emerged from the closet holding a few pieces of clothing and a pair of shoes, and walked over to the bed to put the stuff into a duffel bag. She took no notice of Helen standing nearby because of the phone conversation. "Hey, don't start with me. Are we forgetting whose production company it is. That's right, it's mine, and I have been very successful doing projects I believe in with the actors I feel fit the part. Don't start throwing orders at me, and don't ever use that tone again. This is not ego, it's business. I have spent months working on this with my staff and I will not be undermined."

"How may I ask was I not made aware that you were here?" Helen asked making Paris jump.

Paris turned to look at her. "Yeah I have to let you go. I'll call you later." Paris flipped her phone shut and slipped it into her jacket pocket. "I have a key and security clearance. Not to mention I'm liked around here. I just came by to grab a few stray things I forgot when I moved out. With all the traveling and working in Metropolis I've been doing I haven't had a chance to come by before now"

"You just happened to remember that you had things here after you found out about us being engaged."

Paris bawked at the thought, she gave a chuckle. "Please Helen don't flatter yourself, you don't intimidate me. Just because I am not a doctor or head of a billion dollar corporation doesn't mean that I don't have a demanding schedule or a life outside of Smallville." She zipped up the duffel she had been putting her belongings in and slung it over her shoulder.

Helen looked innocent. "I never accused you of not having a life. I was merely commenting on your renewed interest in this house."

Paris walked toward Helen, her boots giving her some added height over the older woman. Her tone was matter of fact. "I came to gather the last of my belongings and move them into my house. And for the record I never lost interest in this house or the family it belongs to. I have known the Luthors since I was a child. I know things that would keep you sleepless for days. I have cared for Lex ever since I can remember. I have seen women come and go. You aren't anything new."

"Your key please." Helen held out her hand as she glared at Paris.

"Fine." Paris took the key off her key ring and threw it on the bed. She put her sunglasses on, picked up the duffel, put the strap over her shoulder and walked past Helen. She stopped in the doorway and turned. "I was here before you and I'll be here when you get bored and leave, just like the rest."

"Tell me Paris what makes you believe that you are more deserving of Lex than I am?"

"I never said I deserved him. I just know that you don't, and that's an undeniable fact."

"Paris is it my imagination or have you put on a few pounds in your absence?" Helen said with a satisfied grin.

"I, uh, gained a few pounds for my role, nothing monumental just five or six." She turned around and left the room.

"Well I'd hate to see that cute figure of yours spoil, especially before you ever get a chance to wear a wedding dress."

"Don't worry about me, I'll have the weight off in no time."

Helen walked over to the bed and picked the key up off the comforter. She studied it for a minute before putting it in her pocket.

Outside Paris threw her bag in the backseat of her car and was getting ready to step in when she heard a car behind her. "Oh dear god this day couldn't get any worse. Just let me go without further delay."

Lex got out of his car and walked up to hers. Paris leaned on her car and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Hello Paris. You've been absent lately." Lex said as he walked up and leaned on the car next to her.

She snapped her voice rose as her emotions started to get unraveled. "It's not like I've been absent on purpose. You all may view my work as trivial and solely for your entertainment but it takes a lot to do what I do. I'm sorry if you all think you're above me but you're not. If you'll excuse me I have things to do." She was defensive and her tone was harsh.

Lex kept his tone light to try and calm her down. "Okay. Look Paris I know you're under a lot of pressure and we haven't really gotten to talk since I started dating Helen. Why don't you come over for dinner some night this week and we'll all have a nice relaxing time and we can catch up."

"Tell me. Has there ever been a 'nice relaxing' dinner in this house?" She asked dryly.

Lex chuckled. "I guess not."

Keeping her seriousness. "Then what makes you think that would be any different. Besides I don't think I'm welcome in this house anymore."

"What does that mean?" Lex was confused.

"Why don't you ask your fiancée? She's the one who took my key." She said still matter of fact.

"Paris I'm sorry I didn't tell you before I was just waiting until you got home."

"I'm not mad about that. God it's your life do whatever you want with it. I hope you two are happy together. Now if you'd kindly get off my car it's bad for the paint."

"Fine." Lex leaned of the car.

Paris got in and started it up and sped away wordlessly, not looking back.

When she got off the property she took her hand off the shift and put it over her abdomen. "That was your dad. We're not welcome at his house anymore because his fiancée doesn't like me. I'm sorry you'll never meet him because he really is a great man. Don't worry though we don't need him. I'll take care of you and find a someone who will appreciate us both." She wiped away the tear that was sliding down her cheek.

----The Talon a few days later----

Paris was sitting at a table talking with Chloe and Lana when Lex walked in. He sauntered up to the table and cleared his throat. "Hello ladies." He said smoothly.

Chloe looked up at Lex cheerily. "Hey Lex. How's the wedding planning going?"

"Wonderful, Helen's having a great time."

"That's great. If you need help with anything you can always count on your trusty business partner." Lana added.

Paris remained silent.

"Thanks Lana. Uhm, Chloe, Lana can I have a word with Paris, in private?"

Chloe looked to Paris then Lana. "Sure, I have to proofread a few articles for the Torch anyway."

"Yeah, I'll make that coffee to go for you Chloe." Lana added as the two girls quickly scurried off.

Lex sat down across from Paris, who was avoiding eye contact with him. "So, I left you a message yesterday. Your assistant said she'd give it to you."

She spoke softly. "Sorry it must have slipped my mind. Then again I'm surprised you're still allowed to talk to me." She said as she looked at everything on the table but him.

He chose to ignore the last sentence because he knew she was still pissed about the key situation. "Well just in case you forget to get your mail I decided to hand deliver this to you." He took a white invitation envelope from his pocket and handed it to her.

She reached across the table, the cuff of her sweater covering her hand up to the knuckles, took it cautiously and inspected it.

"Don't worry it's not going to explode." He assured, jokingly."

"One can never be too careful these days." She said with a slight smile. She slid her finger under the slit and started to take out the invitation.

"I actually got a smile. I thought those were out of season." He smiled happily at her.

She read the invitation carefully, making sure to mask all the emotions she was feeling. "You're getting married in 2 weeks. Wow that's some quick work!" She looked up at him.

"Well I wanted to be married before the summer when everyone scatters."

"Good plan." She took a sip from her decaf tea and grimaced a bit at the taste.

"Is something wrong with the coffee?" Lex asked when he saw her grimace.

"I wouldn't know. I'm drinking decaf tea." She set the mug down far away from her.

"Why the change in drinks? I thought the world would have to come to a screeching halt before you stopped drinking coffee." He joked.

"I'm on new allergy medication and I have to cut down on caffeine or else I get migraines." She lied smoothly.

"Oh. So will you be attending the wedding?" He asked hopefully.

"Of course I will. I'd never miss out on something this big." She said reassuringly.

Lex smiled. "Good because I was afraid that your situation with Helen would keep you from coming."

Paris' face fell. "Why does everything come back to that? Is it so hard to believe that my life isn't driven by the women in yours?" She asked angrily.

Lex was taken aback. "I'm sorry I didn't. Where is this coming from?" His voice rose a bit.

"Nowhere, it's nothing." She paused for a bit. "Look is there anything else I need to know?"

"Just that the rehearsal dinner will be formal attire. But that's all in your invitation."

"Great I'll see you later."

"Paris what's going on with you lately?"

"Nothing is going on with me! Has it escaped all of you that I work in a high stress industry coupled with the fact that I own my own production company? That adds to the already high stress. Not to mention that I have a director yelling at me because he doesn't like the leading lady. People's lives depend on me and I have 2 people stalling a shoot because they dated once upon a time. How absurd is that? I'll see you later." She got up, shoved the invitation in her purse, paid Lana and took off, leaving Lex sitting staring at the spot she used to be sitting in.

'No matter how long I live I will never understand women.' He thought exasperated.

She sped the whole way home not caring that she was beyond over the speed limit, when she got in the door she ran upstairs and threw herself on her bed. She cried for 45 minutes and fell asleep. Cicero had hopped up on the bed next to her and laid his head on her hip, he stayed to protect her as she wept herself tired.


	13. Clark gets called out, Lex gets balled o

Clark and Martha were talking in the kitchen about his birthday which Lana came over for the night before. Jonathan came in with Lex.

"Hello all. Look what the cat dragged in." Jonathan joked.

"Oh, Lex. Have you had breakfast?" Martha doted over Lex, she always felt he was too thin and plae.

"Uh, thanks, but I can't stay. I just wanted to ask you and Mr. Kent for a favor." Lex hesitated slightly before going on. "I know we've had our differences but lately things have been getting better between us, so this might sound strange, but it would mean a lot to me. It's customary for the, uh, bride and groom to sit with their parents at the rehearsal dinner so... since mine won't be there, I was wondering... would the two of you consider standing in?"

Jonathan and Martha smiled at each other, Clark gave a hopeful look his father's way. "Lex, we would be honored." Jonathan said with a smile.

Lex became less tense. "Great. Uh, that just leaves one open seat at the table. Right next to you, Clark. Any suggestions?"

Clark gave a slight smile. Just then the doorbell rang. Martha went to answer it. Paris was on the other side of the door.

"Paris hello. Come in." Martha welcomed her in.

Walking in the house. "Hello Martha. How are you today?" Paris said politely with a smile.

"I'm fine. How are you? We haven't gotten to see you much since you got back from your trip."

She gave an apologetic look. "Sorry about that, lately it seems that my day never stops between meetings in Metropolis and phone conferences, the business end of things is beginning to take its toll on me." Yet another lie in her cap, she conveniently forgot to mention morning sickness and crying spells coupled with an inability to face just about anyone because she was getting tired of the petty lying.

"Jonathan, Clark look who decided to come visit." Martha said as they entered the kitchen.

"Actually my reason for coming here today wasn't completely altruistic." She started to wring her hands a bit.

"Paris Stratford with a motive, that hardly seems possible." Lex who had previously been quiet spoke, he shoved his hands in his jacket pocket and looked at Paris a bit coldly.

"Well hello Alexander. I didn't see you standing there." She said flatly.

"And you didn't see my car in the drive way either?" He asked dryly, he narrowed his blue grey eyes at her.

"I'm distracted not blind. I came here to see the Kents not you. But then again even if I did want to see you I'd have to call, what, a week in advance?" Her emerald green eyes narrowed reflecting his scowl.

"Gee Paris your tone's a little harsh anything wrong?" He said sarcastically, his face was a hard emotionless mask but secretly he was beginning to wonder what exactly he had done to earn such hate from her.

"Just the fact that your fiancée revoked my key and you don't have the balls to do anything about it, and you're trying to act as if everything's normal but you already knew that. Other than that everything's peachy."

"Well as long as I know exactly what you're hating me for this week that's fine."

Martha was becoming uncomfortable with the tension in the room. "Paris did you need to ask us something?"

She turned to Martha, her cheery tone returning. "Oh yes. I'm leaving for the summer the day after the wedding. Could you possibly watch my house while I'm gone?"

"Sure we'd be happy to." Martha nodded.

"Thank you, you'll just need to make sure the paper gets taken in and the mail gets forwarded to me. My maid comes twice a week and the landscaper comes every Saturday. I'll just leave the extra key with you. And of course I'd be happy to pay you for your trouble."

"Nonsense Paris we're happy to do it." Jonathan waved it off. "How long do you expect to be gone exactly?"

"I'll be bouncing between Europe, New York and L.A. for the next three months and maybe part of the fall."

"Why so long?" Jonathan asked.

"Well New York and L.A. are business purposes, and France is to stay with my grandfather. He's getting older, his siblings are all dead, my grandmother and mother are gone, and well he's always hated my dad. I'm all he has left. I may even move back permanently depending on how things go." Lies, lies, lies. "Besides Smallville can't be my permanent residence, it's a logistics nightmare. I'm going to have to suck it up and find a part time place in L.A. again if I'm going to take my company further."

"You know Paris if you're going to be gone that long I can just have a few members of my staff take care of the house while you are away. It wouldn't be a problem." He was hoping to foster some kind of civility from her.

She fixed a hard angry glare on Lex and spoke harshly, he wasn't getting off that easy. "Maybe not for you. But I'm sure the new Mrs. Luthor wouldn't be too pleased. Besides Lex I don't need you to take care of me." She turned to the Kents and softened her tone. "Martha, Jonathan thank you. I have to get going I left my father and grandfather alone together and I need to make sure they don't kill each other before the wedding. I'll see you all tonight. I can show myself out." Paris turned and walked out of the room.

After she left Clark spoke up. "So Lex I take it Paris and Helen still aren't getting along."

"That's one way of looking at it. Helen doesn't like Paris because we used to date, among other things. And Paris doesn't like Helen because she's never trusted any woman I've dated, ever. And I can't argue with her because until now she's been right about all of them."

----SMallville General that afternoon----

Lex and Helen walked through the hall at the hospital. Helen gaves Lex a clipboard.

"Here's a revised seating chart for the rehearsal dinner."

"Who are the people marked in blue?"

"Relatives who still talk to each other." Helen said matter of factly.

"How about the red?" Lex asked slightly amused.

"Family feuds and people who haven't spoken in at least five years." Still matter of fact.

"And the yellow ones scattered throughout?" Still amused.

Helen gave a chuckle. "Buffer zones. Relatives who have no particular allegiance and whose conversation won't insight a riot."

"If this medical career doesn't work out, you should consider the United Nations."

Helen took the clip board back. "I'm not done yet."

"By the way, I put the Kents at our table. I asked them to sit with us at the dinner to fill in for my parents." Lex tried to slip that one in unnoticed.

They stopped outside Helen's office door. "Lex, I think it's great that you want to make them a big part of this, but..." She trailed off.

"But what?" He asked a bit defensive.

"Don't you think this might be the right moment to reach out to your father?" She tried to smooth this over.

"Helen, I'm touched that you want us to reconcile, but it's not gonna happen. Besides, the only family I need is you."

Helen smiled slightly. She took her keys out and they went into her office. They both stopped just inside the door, shocked looks on their faces. The entire office was ransacked, papers all over the floor, chairs knocked over, and drawers open. "I don't believe this."

She went over and open a small refrigerator that was on the table, she opened it and it was empty.

Lex walked up behind her. "We should call the police. Is anything valuable missing?" He asked eyeing the refrigerator.

Helen stood silent staring into the empty fridge.

----The Field Between The Kent's house and Lana's old house----

Lana was riding her horse through the field. She noticed Clark watching from the fence and rode over to him.

"Hey." Clark said, happy to see her

"Hey." Lana smiled back as she got off the horse. "Come on." She took his bit and started leading him.

"Look, Lana, last night was a big deal for me."

"Clark..."

"Look, you don't have to avoid calling me if you don't feel the same way."

"No, it meant a lot to me too. Everything seemed so clear, but today it just feels a lot more complicated."

"Is this about Chloe?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about her, but there are three friendships at stake here and I don't want to risk losing ours."

"Well, the friendship isn't gonna go anywhere. It'll just become something better."

"And what happens down the road if... things don't work out? Will our friendship survive that? I mean look at Lex and Paris one minute they're best friends the next they can't even be in the room together. Being around those two has become quite uncomfortable. Do you really want that?"

"I don't know. Lana, I've wanted this for so long, I think it's worth taking the chance. And I don't think we will ever harbor the same animosity for each other that Paris and Lex do, there's got something going on there that no one else knows about.

They gazed at each other for a few minutes. A voice was heard in the distance. "The day is coming."

Clark turned around after hearing the voice.

"Clark, Are you all right?" Lana asked, concerned.

The voice got louder. "They day is coming!"

Clark looked up to the sky, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from.

"Clark, what is it?"

"I'm sorry, I have to go." Clark apologized as he ran toward his house.

----Ahh the office of Sexy LExy----

Helen was looking through a drawer of Lex's files in the office. She pulled out a file labeled Martha Kent and started to look through it. She turned around and was startled to find Lionel standing there, watching her.

"You don't really think he's hidden it in here, do you?" Lionel asked, breaking the silence.

Helen got defensive. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about the valuable object Lex stole from your office."

"Lex would never steal from me." She said dismissively.

Lionel smirked a bit and pretended to contemplate her statement. "Hmm. If you believe that. What are you doing rummaging around in here while he's out?"

Helen tried to side step the question. "How do I know it wasn't you who broke into my office?"

Lionel was amused at her attempt to derail him. "Oh my. Seems I've antagonized the lady of the house. Please, would you tell my son I dropped by to offer my best wishes?" He starts to walk away but stopped a predatory grin formed on his face. "Oh, no. That would be difficult, wouldn't it? Because then we'd have to explain that we ran into each other when we were in here and I caught you snooping and, oh... Oh that could get really messy. Especially with your wedding day almost upon us." He chuckled, pleased with the situation he put her in.

"Get out." Helen demanded.

Lionel was enjoying this game of cat and mouse too much to leave. "Can I ask you a question, Helen?" She didn't answer him, she just folded her arms over her chest and scowled. "Why are you marrying Lex?"

"Because I love him." She answered simply.

"Hmm." Lionel left without another word.

----The Rehearsal Dinner that Evening----

Paris was walking through one of the connecting hallways, from the bathroom, toward the room where the dinner was being held and tall gentleman with dark brown hair and brown eyes walked up behind her.

"Excuse me miss but I seem to be lost."

Paris jumped when the baritone voice cutting through her thoughts. "Jesus Bruce." She turned to face her long time friend. "If I have a heart attack I'm suing you." She joked.

"I'd never let that happen. Paris Stratford, lingering in the shadows. Must say I'm surprised at this turn of events."

"Bruce Wayne, fashionably late as usual. How's Batman doing?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"He's fine. He says hello." He said jokingly.

"Well I think we'd better get in there. Before someone sends a search party."

"Your arm my lady?"

"Why thank you kind sir." She said linking her arm through his.

"You look beautiful. No wonder Helen is threatened by you, you're going to show her up."

Paris chuckled a bit. "You know just what to say to make me feel better."

"Well shameless flattery has always worked on you."

"And to think I was going to tell you how handsome you look."

"You still can."

"Umhm. Well you do look handsome, jackass."

"Just remember you're taking me home tonight."

"Yeah and you're sleeping in a completely different part of my house. You know the same house as my father and grandfather."

"Mere details." He said with a playful wink.

"Shouldn't you be saving the flirting for the throngs of adoring women awaiting your arrival in the next room? I mean with Lex off the market you are one of the few eligible billionaires in North America."

"Don't remind me."

"With Lex off the 10 most eligible list where will this put you?" She asked jokingly.

"Be quiet." He replied dryly.

She responded by sticking her tongue out at him.

"Is Albert coming?"

"No, unfortunately he has the glamorous job of editing our movie and he can't make it out here."

"Oh well." Bruce gave a shrug. They stopped in front of the doors to the ballroom where the rehersal dinner was being held. "Are you ready to see our boy get married?"

"No." She said morosely and shook her head.

"Neither am I but here goes."

----Chloe's lair, The Torch----

Chloe was sitting at her desk at the Torch looking at pictures of her and Clark from the Spring Formal on her computer. Lionel entered giving her a start.

"I certainly do admire your work ethic, Miss Sullivan." Lionel said peering over her shoulder at the monitor.

She quickly closed her window down.

"Late at night, here you are, still at it." Lionel walked around the office as if her owned it.

"Yeah. Well, I wasn't invited to the rehearsal dinner, so..."

"Yes, we have a lot in common." He gave a laugh. "I spoke to the, uh, managing editor at the Daily Planet. It's all set. A weekly column on current affairs from the, uh, young person's perspective."

"I don't know how to thank you."

"Nurturing a promising young talent is a reward in itself. And I've, uh, I've got your first assignment." He sat on the desk top. "A complete investigative profile of Clark Kent."

"What possible interest could the Daily Planet have in a farm boy from Smallville?"

"This isn't for the Daily Planet. I'm sure they'll be in touch with you. No, this is for me. Just, uh, combine it with, uh, any research about his family you already have."

Chloe stood up. "Wow. I blew off my journalistic skepticism and allowed myself to actually believe that you were interested in just helping me." She snarked.

"You're playing in the real world now, Miss Sullivan. You have to give to get." Lionel said in a business tone.

"Mr. Luthor. I don't know what your interest is in Clark, but you can take the job offer and shove it down your thousand dollar pants."

"Clark's very lucky to have a friend like you. All that integrity. I-I wonder, though, if he had to make a choice, would he sacrifice his dream out of loyalty to you?"

Chloe didn't answer, Lionel just stood and left her standing there shocked.

----After the Rehearsal dinner----

The rehearsal dinner had ended, almost all of the guests were gone. Clark got a migraine in the middle of his best man speech and had to rush home, Paris was hoping to use that excuse but instead she had to stay the duration, which included Helen sending daggers her way. The Stratfords, Gustave, and Bruce were about the only guests left save for a few of Helen's colleagues who were still milling about. Some annoying thoracic surgeon who had been hitting on Paris, trying to use his Jaguar as a selling point, and a pediatrician named Molly who had been after Bruce, she looked like she was fresh out of day school. Paris had left the room in a hurry, she was having a bout of 'morning sickness' and had to excuse herself not too long before the party had ended. She was standing in one of the east wing powder rooms rinsing her mouth out, with her now ever present bottle of mouth wash, and fixing her makeup so no one would know she had just thrown up everything she had eaten that evening. She was more than displeased to be kneeling before a toilet in a $2,000 dress and her favorite pair of $600.00 shoes, puking like a drunk or a bulimic. She almost looked like a scene out of 'When Heiresses Go Wild'. "Jesus Stratford look at yourself." She whispered at her reflection, disgusted with her whole situation. She gripped the edge of the sink and closed her eyes tight, willing away the tears that wanted to spring forth. "Stop this, stop, this, stop this." She chanted softly. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. When she looked herself over, she was satisfied and sure that no one would suspect a thing. She flushed the toilet, grabbed her clutch purse, and slipped out of the powder room quietly. She walked back to where she'd left her party and hoped they'd be there so she could go. She walked into the ballroom to be met by her father, grandfather, Bruce and Lex. That's all she needed was a inquisition from the grand jury.

"Paris dear we were going to have a night cap and smoke a few choice cigars before we departed for the evening. Will you be joining us?" Her father asked.

"No that's okay dad. I'm actually going to head home."

"Are you sure you won't join us?" Bruce asked. "For old times sake."

"I would if I could but I'm not feeling well." She was shivering a bit, between the draftiness of the castle, her strapless dress and throwing up a bit. "This new medication is really taking a toll on me."

"Maybe you should talk to your allergist about that." Lex said.

"As a matter of fact I'm calling her tomorrow."

"Well you look cold." Bruce walked over and put his jacket around her shoulders.

"Thanks Bruce. Umm, I'm going. Dad I'll send the limo back for you three." She turned to look at Lex. "Lex it was a lovely dinner."

"Thank you." He wasn't going to give her any lee way either.

Paris walked past them and out of the room.

----Even later on that night----

Lex was holding two glasses of wine in his study. He handed a glass to Helen.

"With the exception of Clark's migraine, I thought the evening was mercifully uneventful." Helen stood silent. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Helen, if we're gonna spend our lives together, we need to be completely honest with each other. You're always saying that."

"I found a file on Mrs. Kent in your bookshelf. It contained confidential medical records. From my office."

"I got that from one of the disease control agents who was investigating Mrs. Kent's case."

"You mean you bribed someone for it?" Helen questioned, shocked.

"I've told you. The Kents are very important to me. I was concerned about Martha's health." Lex reasoned. "What were you looking for anyway?"

"Something that was stolen from my office."

"Do you think I was involved in the break in?" Lex asked, shocked.

"Please tell me you weren't." Helen pleaded.

"If you really believe I'm capable of that kind of deceit, maybe you shouldn't be marrying me."

"Maybe you're right." Helen shot back.

Helen put down her wine and left the study. Lex put down his glass and walked over to the bookshelf. He reached underneath a shelf and lifted it, revealing a secret compartment with a box inside. He took out the box, put it down on the desk, and opened it. A thin metal vial lay inside. He opened the vial letting out the carbon dioxide, then tipped it to get the glass tube of Clark's blood.

----Clark's loft, earlier that evening----

Chloe pulled up to the Kent's house just in time for her head lights to reflect the pink of Lana's dress as she entered the barn. Putting journalistic curiosity before common sense she followed her in. She saw Lana and Clark talking in the loft. Than they kissed, Chloe ran out of the barn crying.


	14. And they all started the summer miserabl

After Lana left Clark went down to the cellar because the voice called him again. Clark walked down the stairs to the cellar, a gold light reflected off his face and a strong wind blew all around him. The ship was glowing and rising into the air. A voice came from the ship.

"Fear not, Kal-El."

"Who are you?" Clark yelled over the wind.

"I am Jor-El... your father."

"I thought you died!"

"I am his memory, his will. I am to fulfill his promise and guide you all the days of your life. You are the last son of Krypton."

The wings of the ship folded in until all that was left of the ship was the egg-shaped pod.

"When you traveled through the cosmos, you carried the hopes and dreams of your people. They now live through you, Kal-El. It is time."

The pod morphed into a perfect replication of planet Earth and the gold light was replaced by a blue glow.

"Time for what?"

"Time to accept your destiny."

"I don't know what you have in mind for me, but I..."

A shadow crawled over the small planet, as though the sun was setting. Then the golden glow of the sun shone from behind the planet.

"By the setting of the sun Sol, you will return to me. Your destiny will be fulfilled."

Clark turned around and Lana appeared with Jonathan and Martha, bathed in warm light. All smiling at him serenely, not noticing the strangeness of the situation.

"Your thoughts are not a mystery to me, Kal-El. These people have served their purpose. It is time to leave them."

Clark looked at Lana intensely, and she continued to smile. He reached out to touch her face and his touch caused Lana, Martha, and Jonathan to disintegrate and disappear. He turned back to the ship, which had returned to the gold egg shape.

"Please! Everything and everyone I love is here! In Smallville!"

"You must let go of your past. I will guide you to your future."

"No, I don't want your guidance! I want to create my own future!"

"You have no choice, Kal-El."

The pod spun until it exploded, sending out a blinding white light. Outside the storm cellar, the white light shone into the sky, and then abruptly went out.

----Kent front yard----

Jonathan and Martha came outside and find Clark sitting on the front steps.

"Well, you're up early." Jonathan said.

"I never went to sleep." Clark said unhappily.

"Clark? What's wrong?" Martha asked concerned.

Clark paused before answering. "I kind of met my biological father last night."

He looked up at Martha, who shared a worried look with Jonathan.

----Kent Cellar----

"When I heard his voice, it was coming from the ship. But it sounded like it was from my own head. He said it was time."

"Said it was time for what?" Jonathan asked.

"To leave Smallville and fulfill my destiny."

"He said that?" Martha asked.

"I have until sundown today."

"Or what?" Jonathan asked defensively.

"I'm not sure. He said I didn't have a choice. Why is it happening now when my life is just coming together? The farm's out of debt, I'm gonna be a big brother... Lana and I are finally getting together."

"Whatever your biological father may have had in mind for you, they're his hopes and dreams, not yours." Martha said upset.

"Clark, you choose your own destiny. Nobody can decide that for you, son."

Clark looked at both of his parents very seriously. And stepped toward them. "This is my home. And you're my parents. It's where I belong, and I'm not going anywhere."

He glared down at the ship and then looked back at his parents.

----Lex's study----

A stack of wrapped wedding gifts sat in Lex's study Lex stood standing behind the desk looking at the vial of blood from Helen's office. He stepped out of his study and saw Helen and Lionel talking down the hall. Helen gave an envelope to Lionel and walked toward Lex.

"I haven't seen you two together since, um, well Dad, since you tried to bribe Helen into dumping me."

Lionel gave a brief chuckle. "And now Dr. Bryce refuses to accept this, my wedding gift to her." Indicating toward the envelope. "If you two, uh, star-crossed lovers will excuse me."

Lionel walked between them and down the hall, leaving.

"You, uh, you want to tell me what that was all about?"

"Exactly what your father said. You know what? I'm tired of being a pawn in this never-ending struggle."

Helen walked into the study with Lex following her.

"We both said some things last night. I don't want to go into this marriage with any secrets between us."

"I haven't held anything back."

Lex walked to the desk and opened the box revealing the metal vial. He handed it to Helen. "I have. Look inside."

She opened it and found the vial of blood. She looked at Lex, shocked.

"I did break into your office, and that's what I was after. I told you because I'm trying to break the cycle. I don't want to be the person who did this anymore."

"But you did do it, Lex. You committed a crime. You violated my privacy and that of my patients."

"I know."

"What did you think would happen? That you'd give it back, tell me what you did, and I'd just forgive you and we would live happily ever after?"

"I don't know what I expected. All I know is that I love you."

"I'm sure in some part of that twisted mind you do." Helen started to walk away.

"I didn't have it analyzed."

Helen turned around. "What was so important about this blood, anyway?"

"I thought it would give me the answers I've been looking for."

"All it did was end this relationship."

She turned and left leaving Lex hanging his head.

----Later----

Clark walked into Lex's office to see him reading a newspaper article pitting him against his father. "Uh, where's this tailor? I'm kind of pressed for time today."

"I canceled him." Lex answered flatly.

"Why?" Clark asked bewildered.

"Because Helen's not walking down the aisle tomorrow."

"I saw her last night. She seemed really happy."

Lex got up from the desk and walked to the middle of the room, facing away from Clark. "Yeah, well, a lot can change in 24 hours."

"Why'd she break it off?"

Lex turned to face Clark. "I've always been fighting my destiny, trying to avoid becoming my father. But we all have certain genes that, no matter how much we want to change, dominate us."

"What'd you do?"

Lex sat in a nearby chair. "I betrayed Helen's trust. Then I fought my own nature and did something very unLuthor-like. I confessed my sin, hoping she'd forgive me."

Clark sat on the couch near Lex. "My guess is she didn't."

"Don't tell anyone, Clark. I want to hold onto my romantic notions for one more day." Lex gave Clark a small smile and lowered his eyes. Clark looked away and then back at Lex sympathetically.

----Paris's house later----

Paris and Bruce were sitting on a couch outside on the large wrap around porch.

"Paris something seems to be off about you."

"Oh and what would that be Dr.?" She turned to look at him, her sunglasses shielding her eyes.

He looked at her speculatively. "I don't know. We've been out here for over an hour and you haven't had one cigarette, you didn't have any wine at dinner last night or tonight, and considering the event that is about to occur tomorrow I figured you of all people would be completely drunk by now. And I could have sworn I heard you throwing up earlier."

"I think it's just a touch of the flu."

Bruce wasn't buying it, he cocked an eyebrow at her. "Oh and I found these in the fridge." He took a bottle of pre-natal vitamins out of his pocket and handed them to her.

She took her sunglasses off and looked at him stunned. "How did you find those?"

"I was looking for an apple and they were in the drawer. Your father or grandfather could have found them just as easily."

"Well I guess I'm lucky it was you who found them then aren't I."

"Whose is it Paris?" He questioned.

"Well it's not yours so don't worry." She said dismissively.

He smirked. "It's impossible for it to be mine we've never slept together."

"Smart boy." She said offhandedly.

"Paris." He pressed.

She took a breath and ran a hand through her hair. "Lex."

His jaw dropped. "You're carrying Lex's child. Oh my, Paris, how, what?"

"If I have to explain conception to you then I weep for the future." She remarked dryly.

"You know what I mean."

"A few months ago, before he and Helen were serious there was this thing. Some kind of parasite from the caves. It got into our systems and infected us. It thrived on adrenaline. That combined with Lex and I living in the same house ensured an eruption of pent up sexual frustration. We did it anywhere and everywhere. We woke up in the hospital with no memory of what had happened. I'm on the pill, and we were just happy to be alive that we never gave it a second thought. Apparently meteorly enhanced parasites over ride the pill. Who knew?"

"Are you going to tell him?"

Paris shook her head. "No." There was a hint of sadness in her voice.

"He has a right to know. Keeping his child from him is criminal."

"This is not one of your caped crusader cases Bruce. This is my life. He has a right to be happy. Helen makes him happy. If I had found out before they became so serious it would have been different. If I tell him now everything will be ruined and he will hate me forever. It'll ruin his marriage and our friendship. I won't do that to him."

"How exactly do you plan on hiding this from him?"

"The Kents are watching my house for me. I'm leaving for France the day after tomorrow. They think I'm staying there for the rest of the summer to spend time with grandpere. I'll come back before I start showing and sell this house, then go back to Europe and raise my child."

"Paris you don't have to do that. How do you plan on explaining this? And what about Lex, you're going to have to see him eventually."

"Not if I do it right. And if I do I'll just say I wanted to be a mother so I was artificially inseminated or some crap like that. Lex, well I've been doing my best to drive him away. If he ever does find out, I guess I'll just have to deal with that bridge when it comes time to cross it."

He shook his head at her. "You're making a mistake."

"We'll see."

Lex appeared at the door leading out to the porch and knocked. Paris handed Bruce the bottle of pills back unnoticed by Lex, walked over and opened the door.

"Most people knock from the outside to get in." They walked back out on the deck. Paris took her seat on the couch next to Bruce and Lex took one of the chairs.

"You two seemed deep in conversation I didn't want to interrupt. I hope you don't mind I was out for a drive and I decided to stop by, your dad let me in."

"No it's fine, you're always welcome here. What's up?"

"Yeah Lex. Nervous about tomorrow, being the big day and all?"

"Well it's funny you should mention that Bruce. I'm not sure tomorrow's going to happen."

"What happened?" Paris was concerned.

"I broke Helen's trust and she left me."

"What did you do exactly?" Bruce asked.

"Look it doesn't matter what I did exactly. She can't trust me, she left me. End of story."

"No it's not." Paris added.

"What are you talking about Paris? I thought you of all people would be happy to see Helen go." He snapped at her.

Paris knew she deserved that. "Don't confuse my dislike for Helen and my concern for your happiness. She's pissed off. I would be too, but she'll come back I'm sure of it."

Bruce looked at her sideways before speaking. "Lex she's mad, just give her some time to cool off. I'm sure by tomorrow afternoon she'll be standing next to you on that altar."

"You two seem awfully sure of this. I hope you're right." Lex got up to leave. "Oh Paris if I don't get a chance to talk to you tomorrow. I know we've been arguing a bit lately, we're both stressed out about different things. I hope everything goes well this summer and if you ever need any help with the house or your company you can come to me any time, house key or not."

"Thanks Lex." She got up and hugged him.

After Lex left Paris leaned against the door and sighed.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yep."

----The morning before the wedding----

Clark was leaning against a fence outside his house. He was holding Lana's meteor necklace, now the stone was clear and harmless to him. Jonathan and Martha came outside, dressed for the wedding.

"Clark! Why aren't you ready?" Martha admonished.

Clark quickly put the necklace in his pocket. "The wedding doesn't start for a few hours."

"Your mother wants to get a good seat, son."

"I promised Helen I'd go early and check the flowers."

"Well, I gotta pick up Lana, so I'll meet you there."

"We obviously have to get used to the fact that you have a girlfriend now." Martha said with a smile.

Clark gave a half hearted smile. Martha nad Jonathan exchanged a concerned look. "Clark. How's it going today, son?" Jonathan asked.

"Good."

"No voice?" He questioned.

Clark hesitated before answering. "No voice."

"Looks like you're just gonna have to face the future the old-fashioned way."

"I guess so. It's pretty scary."

Jonathan gave a chuckle. "Yeah." Jonathan and Martha stated to walk away.

"Mom?"

"Yes sweetheart."

"You look beautiful today." Clark said sadly.

"Thank you, sweetheart."

Jonathan and Martha turned and left. Clark stared out at the field distressed.

----Paris's bedroom----

Paris's grandfather was knocking on her door. "Paris dear are you alright in there?"

Paris was inside sitting on her bed looking at an old picture of her and Lex, crying. Her dress was hanging on the back of her closet door and her purse and shoes were on the chair waiting for her to put them on. "I'm fine Grandpere. I'm just not ready yet. You all can leave and I'll follow in my car."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure! I'll be ready in like half an hour just go ahead." She wanted them out of the house.

"Alright dear I'll go tell your father and Bruce."

"Okay."

Gustave turned away and walked downstairs. Paris covered her mouth and ran to the bathroom.

----Reconciliation----

Lex sat in the study, dressed in his tuxedo, and holding two wedding rings. Helen walked in in jeans and a sweater.

Lex stood up, shocked. "Helen. You're here."

"I am so angry at you. What you did was unforgivable."

"You're right."

"But the farther I got from you and this town... I realized that while any sane person would've kept driving, I needed to turn around. I started to look at myself and the mistakes that I've made in my life." Helen walked over and sat on the couch.

Lex sat down next to her. "I hope I'm not one of them."

Helen shook her head. "No, Lex, you're not. That's the thing. I still love you."

----Finally Chloe snaps----

Clark came out of the loft just as Chloe is drove up. He quickly checked his watch, it was 11:50. Ten minutes until he was supposed to take over the world.

"Hey, Clark, I'm glad I caught you before the wedding." Chloe said as she climbed out of her red VW bug.

"Chloe, what are you doing here?"

"Is everything okay? I mean, I heard you were looking for me."

"Yeah, um, I was, but..." He hesitated and took a look at the cellar. "I can't talk to you right now."

He started pushing her back to her car. "What are you doing?" Chloe asked, shocked.

"Look, I promise I'll find you later."

"Clark, I..."

Clark cut her off. "Don't worry. I'll find you, okay?"

Clark started to walk away and Chloe stood at her car, watching him. "So how'd you decide? Rock-paper-scissors, coin toss, or did you just happen to draw the short straw?" She asked harshly.

"Decide?" Clark asked, taken aback.

Chloe walked toward him as she spoke. "Who was gonna tell me that you and Lana are together?" She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow.

"You know?"

"Yeah. I came over to the barn the other night to warn you about something."

"About what?"

"You know, it doesn't matter now. The point is I saw you and Lana in a major lip lock."

"I-I didn't mean..."

"Didn't what, Clark? Newsflash. You've always been in love with Lana. I tried to deny it, thinking that maybe we could work something out, but it's like fate, Clark. Inevitable, but always surprising when it actually happens."

"I was gonna tell you."

"Really? Because obviously it was on the top of your to-do list. You know, I can deal with the fact that you guys are together. It hurts, but I was prepared for it. But we just made a promise to be honest with each other, and you didn't have the guts to keep you word!"

"Chloe..."

"Or was it just that it was too much fun making a fool of me that you couldn't reveal your secret?" She walked to the car. "Have a nice life, Clark." Chloe sped away.

Everyone was in the chapel watching Lex and Helen wed. Everyone accept the Kents and Paris.

The Kents were in their truck speeding him to find Clark, whom Lex was worried about because he was his best man.

Clark was in the cellar, he put the key in the ship. A white light filled the room and shot out the top of the cellar., he fell to his knees.

Paris was speeding toward the Kent house, checking the clock on her dash board she swore as she realized she was late. "Shit!" 'I told him I'd be there.'

The Kents were nearly home when a huge ring of white energy filled the air. It was taller than the trees and even the telephone pole, and it was heading straight for them and Paris who was driving in front of the house. The energy took Paris's car as it passed through and hurdled it toward the Kent's truck, tossing the Porche like a matchbox car.

"Aaah!" Martha screamed as Jonathan swerved to avoid the car and the energy cloud.

Jonathan swerved to avoid an accident and ended up driving into a field sparks showered down from the telephone pole. The truck tipped over and rolled several times, rolling over Paris's car and landing upside down a few yards away.

----I winder what kind of insurance these people have----

Jonathan stood outside a hospital room where Martha was unconscious. Three different doctors were taking care of her as Jonathan watched through the window. Clark entered the hallway behind him.

"How is she?" Clark asked quietly.

"Doctors don't know yet. What did you do, Clark?"

"I put the Kryptonite key in the ship."

"And why did you do that?"

"Dad, I lied about the voice. It did come back. It told me I had to leave by noon. I didn't have a choice, Dad. I had to destroy the ship."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"I knew you wouldn't agree with what I did. Dad, I didn't want it to take me away from you. I'm so sorry for what I did."

"Your actions have consequences, Clark. Didn't your mother and I ever teach you that?"

"Yes, but..."

"There's no time for excuses, Clark. It's too late. You didn't think this thing through. You had no idea what was gonna happen, and now... Now your mother is lying in a hospital bed, and Paris is down the hall fighting for her life."

The doctor came out of Martha's room. "Mr. Kent?"

"Doctor, how is my wife?"

"She has a mild concussion, but she'll be fine."

"And how is our baby?"

"I'm sorry."

Jonathan stood silent and motionless as the doctor walked away.

"Dad..."

Jonathan walked away and into Martha's room.

Clark looked in on his parents sadly and walked down the hall to Paris's room. She was unconscious and hooked up to machines. Her father and Grandfather were in the room talking to her doctors.

"How is she Bruce?"

"As well as can be expected. She has a severe double concussion, her appendix ruptured, her knee is severely sprained, she may have a muscle tear, and all her ribs are broken."

Clark just shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry."

"So am I."

Clark shoved his hands in his pockets and walked out of the hospital.

----Chloe----

After leaving Clark Chloe called Lionel Luthor and told him she wanted to meet him. She had decided to take him up on his offer.

----Clark----

Clark couldn't take it anymore. He had hurt his mother and killed his parents only chance at having a normal child. He had nearly killed Paris, and royally pissed Chloe off. On top of it all his own father couldn't even look at him. He decided the only thing he could do was leave. He went to the Torch and took one of the class rings with the red Kryptonite, Pete tried to stop him but failed. Clark went home and took his father's motorcycle out of the barn to depart with.

Lana walked up and saw him about to go. "Clark, where are you going?"

"Away from here."

"The Clark Kent I know wouldn't run away from his problems."

"The Clark Kent you know is a lie."

"Why won't you let me in?"

"Because, Lana, you won't like what you see."

Lana grabbed his arm and put a hand on his cheek. "I am not giving up on you."

"No on can save me. Not even you."

Lana started to cry. "Your parents need you. I need you." Clark looked away painfully. "I love you, Clark."

"I love you, too... more than you'll ever know. That's why I have to leave."

Clark turned away from her and sat on the motorcycle. He slipped the ring on his finger, immediately his eyes glowed red then back to normal. "Come with me."

"Smallville's my home. It's your home too."

"Not anymore." Clark slipped on his sunglasses and sped off leaving Lana crying in the dust.

----Crash----

Lex awoke to an empty cabin. He called for Helen but she was gone. The jump door was open. He made his way to the cockpit, when he opened the door the pilot was gone, the control panel was smashed. He looked out the windshield and saw the ocean rushing at him.

----Smallville Hospital two days later----

Martha was sitting on the side of unconscious Paris's bed, holding her hand and stroking hair sadly. "So young, so beautiful. Why didn't you tell anyone what was going on sweetheart? We would have been there for you. You didn't have to run away. Please wake up dear we're all waiting for you."

Malcolm walked in. "Still no change?"

"No but I've been talking to her like the doctors said to."

"Mrs. Kent I appreciate you sitting with my daughter. But you have suffered so much trauma over the last few days you should be with your husband, go home and rest."

"No, this keeps me from worrying about Clark. I'm sure her mother would be doing the same thing if she were still alive."

Malcolm took the seat on the other side of the bed, looking at Martha. "Actually if her mother were still alive I'm not sure Paris would even be in that bed. I don't know what Paris has told you but I haven't been the best of fathers."

"Your daughter is a smart, wonderful woman with a beautiful heart. I'm sure you weren't that bad a father." Martha said, here eyes never leaving Paris.

"You are right about all those things Mrs. Kent."

"Please call me Martha."

"Okay. I'll call you Martha if you call me Malcolm."

"Okay."

"You are right about all of those things Martha, but unfortunately I had almost nothing to do with the woman my daughter has become. Her mother is responsible for the person she is. I was absent most of Paris's childhood, and when her mother died. Paris was fifteen when her mother passed and she saw the person I was, she didn't like it. She rebelled every chance she got. As she grew older she reminded me more and more of her mother. I couldn't bear to be around her. I pushed her away and she pushed back until there was a rift so big between us that could be seen from space."

"There's time to mend that rift."

"I'm not so sure. I've said things to her that no parent should ever say to a child."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Do you have any idea whose child she was carrying?"

"Not a clue." Martha lied, Bruce had told her whose it was.

Just then Lionel appeared in the doorway and knocked. "Hello Mrs. Kent, Malcolm." He was tense.

"Hello Mr. Luthor."

"Hello Lionel."

"Has she shown any sign of improvement?" Lionel said walking over to Paris's bedside, standing next to Martha.

"No. I was just telling Martha about what a lousy father I've been."

"Is there room for another? I think I could add a few note worthy antic dotes to the mix. Have they found Clark yet?"

"No."

"I'm sorry Mrs. Kent. If there's anyone who deserves the love of their child it's you."

Martha had tears in her eyes. "Thank you. Excuse me." Martha got up and left the room.

"Have they located the plane yet?" Malcolm didn't look at Lionel.

"No, but I have teams searching everywhere they may have been." Lionel took Paris's hand in his and rubbed his thumb over the top. "Please wake up Paris. There's no reason three people need to lose their children this week. Please wake up."

"You know as well as I do that Paris does what Paris wants. There's no reasoning with the girl." Malcolm joked dryly.

"I know." Lionel smiled a bit. "I'll be back tomorrow." Lionel walked out of the room and Martha was walking in.

"Did you two have a nice talk?" She asked Malcolm as she sat down.

"Nicer than any that we've had in the last seven years."

"Martha if you'll excuse me I have to make a few calls."

"Alright."

"Martha if you need to leave at any time for any reason please do tell me."

"I will." She went back to tending to Paris as Malcolm walked out of the room. "Oh Paris. Please wake up soon. We are so worried about you."

Paris started to stir in her bed. She groaned a bit. "Mummy." She whispered. "Mummy where are you? I can't see you."

"Shh. Paris you're okay. Open your eyes sweetheart."

"Can't."

"Why not Paris?"

"It hurts."

"What hurts?"

"My head, my side, my back, neck, everything."

"Please open your eyes."

Her eyes started to flutter open but she shut them tight. "Ow. Can you turn off the lights?"

"Sure." Martha got up and turned the lights off.

"Thank you." Paris opened her eyes and let them adjust to the room.

"Better?"

"Much. What happened and why am I here?"

Martha sat down next to her again and stroked her hair lovingly. "What do you remember?"

"I was driving and something hit my car. That's all."

"Okay. Paris sweetheart. Your car rolled a few times, our truck rolled over yours. Your appendix burst, you have broken ribs, your knee is sprained." Martha bit her lip before she said the next part. "Paris your body suffered so much trauma due to the car crash, and when your appendix burst, the poison was too much. I'm sorry Paris." Martha couldn't finish.

"Oh." Paris looked down.

"Paris I didn't tell anyone because I was afraid to bring bad luck but Jonathan and I were expecting a child too, but I lost it in the crash."

"So you're saying we're like the same?" Paris asked sadly.

"Martha thank you for sitting with me, and thank you for being honest with me but can I be alone?"

"Sure dear. I should go tell everyone that you're up anyway."

"Is Bruce still here?"

"Yes."

"Can you send him in?"

"Sure." Martha walked out.

A few seconds later Bruce walked in. "I heard the patient requested visitors."

"Just you." Paris tried to sit up but winced in pain. "Ow." She whined.

"Yeah that's probably not a good idea right now. Let me help you." Bruce used the remote control on her bed to raise the head so she was in sitting position. "Better?"

"Yeah. So I guess you heard."

"Yeah I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I guess it just wasn't meant to be." She started to cry.

"Shh." Bruce put his arms around her and cradled her gently. 'Damn you Lex. If we tell her you're dead, she'll probably die.' Bruce thought to himself.

Malcolm walked in with Martha and Gustave. "Paris you're up."

Paris stopped crying and sniffled a bit. "Very observant."

"I heard someone woke up." Paris's doctor said as he entered the room.

"Yep."

---The next day----

Everyone was gathered outside Paris's room debating who was going to tell her about Lex while Chloe and Lana kept her busy inside her room.

"So when do you get to go home?" Lana asked as she French braided Paris's hair.

"I should be getting out of here tomorrow."

"I can tell you from experience that you don't know freedom until you are released from Smallville General." Chloe joked, not looking at Lana.

Lionel knocked on the door. "Hello ladies."

"Hello Mr. Luthor." Chloe.

"Hello Mr. Luthor." Lana.

"Lionel. Nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you're awake Paris. I don't think I need to tell you that you gave us all quite a scare. Ms. Sullivan, Ms. Lang can I please have a few minute alone with Paris?"

Lana put a hair tie on the braid she was finishing and got up. "Sure Mr. Luthor. I'll see you later Paris."

Chloe got up from her chair. "Yeah I should be getting home too. Good bye Paris, good bye Mr. Luthor."

"Thanks for stopping by. I'll see you two when I get back." The girls walked out of the room silently and closed the door behind them.

"So what's up? Are you and my dad fighting again?" Paris joked from her bed.

"No dear I'm afraid it's more than an argument between two old fools. Can I sit here?" He asked gesturing to the spot next to her on the bed.

"Sure." Paris looked at him questioningly and straightened her posture.

Lionel sat down taking Paris's hands in his. "I don't know how to tell you this Paris, but you're getting released tomorrow and I think you should know before you see it on the news."

"What's going on?"

"Paris I'm sorry. Lex and Helen were on their way to their honeymoon, and shortly before 10:00 their plane went down somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. I'm sorry."

Silent tears burned their way down Paris's cheeks. "B..but he can't. Do they have pr...pr..proof?"

"They haven't found the plane yet."

"Well then he could still be alive right?" She sobbed.

"No I'm sorry Paris. Lex is dead."

"No. Please, No!" Paris's body shook as she cried harder and harder, she ignored the pain that shot through her entire body at the motion. "I, never told him."

"Told him what Paris?"

"I was. It doesn't matter now." She lay back and wept.

"Paris I'm going to get your Grandfather." Lionel kissed her forehead and left.

Gustave walked in a few minutes later. "Mon Chere. My poor Paris." He sat next to her and cradled her head to his chest. "It's okay dear. I know you loved him and he knew it too."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"If I had told him. He never would have married her. He'd be alive."

"What are you talking about?"

"You all know by now that I was pregnant. It was Lex's. I didn't tell him because by the time I found out he was engaged to Helen and it was too late."

"Oh Paris, you can't blame yourself for this." He said somberly as he rocked her gently.

"I want to go home."

"I know dear. We will get you home as soon as possible."


	15. How I spent my summer vacation

AN: This chapter is being told from a narrator's pov. Why? Because I don't have the time to cover everyone's summer in one night because I have class tomorrow. Besides we all know what happened I'm just putting my spin on it.

How I spent my summer vacation, Smallville style.

Clark: Clark left Smallville because he felt he felt he had let his family and friends down, he couldn't look at their accusing faces anymore so he grabbed a piece of red Kryptonite, hopped on his dad's motorcycle and sped out of town. He assumed the name Kal. First he went to Las Vegas and used his x-ray vision to win at cards. He won enough cash to get a swanky apartment in an uptown high rise back in Metropolis. When he got back to Metropolis he partied in night clubs and spent his money. That's when he started robbing the ATMs all over town. Finally Morgan Edge, an old acquaintance of Lionel's, caught up with him and Clark started working for him until Edge decided to try and kill him, then he went back out on his own. Until his father tracked him down and, with the help of Jor El, used new super human powers to fight him and bring him back home.

Martha and Jonathan: Their unborn child was dead, their son was missing, their pseudo so was presumed dead and the new girl who had blown into their life and brought a new light to Smallville had left town the minute she was released from the hospital and they hadn't heard from her since. None of Clark's other friends stopped by the farm either, maybe out of respect maybe out of fear, they didn't know why but deep down they were relieved to not have to see anything else that reminded them of Clark. Martha and Jonathan rarely spoke to each other over the summer the most they did was exchange looks of worry and despair. Martha had kept up her end of the agreement with Paris. She stopped by Paris' house almost daily and made sure everything was in order. Of course it was between the twice weekly maid service and the absence of residents the large house was immaculate. More often than not Martha found herself wandering the halls of the large desolate house getting lost in her thoughts. After a few weeks she gathered the courage to go into Paris' large, first floor office. She'd never been in Paris' office before but when she walked in it was undeniable that this was Paris' space. The entire room was theatrical the walls were painted a rich deep blue and wood was all dark cherry, including the bookcases, doors, desk, and crown molding, two large overstuffed black leather chairs sat in front of her desk, there were two large framed old movie posters on the walls, Martha had no doubt that they were originals, and a sleek silver laptop sat atop the desk closed. Awards and pictures littered the surfaces, a few errant scripts were laying on her desk. Martha walked through the room taking in the atmosphere, when she came upon the book cases she noticed there were photo albums and some home movies on some of the shelves. When she picked them up she was treated to glimpse of Paris' life, beginning to recent. She found pictures of Paris, Albert, Bruce and Lex at Excelsior and their adventures, there were books of trips and vacations. there was an entire book entitled 'Our Exploits in Europe', she smiled as she thumbed through the book and got to see them when they were in high school. She found a book of Paris and her friends in New York, there was one of Paris looking much different than she does now, she was wearing; a black mini skirt, black thigh high stockings with black satin bows on the tops, oily black Doc Marten shoes, and a tight red midriff, her hair was cropped short to her chin and it was pink, she had a small stud in her nose, a naval ring, she was standing next to a girl who was dressed similar, with short blue hair, they were both holding a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other. She didn't recognize the girl so she slipped it out of it's place and the back read 'Paris and Mack SOHO, fashion week 1997'. 'They weren't even old enough to smoke let alone drink' she thought to herself despondently. The picture that finally made the dam break was one taken last Thanksgiving, it was in a plain silver frame on her desk, she remembered snapping the photo, it was after dinner Paris, Chloe and Lana were sitting on the steps of the porch relaxing and Clark and Lex were crouched behind them. She remembered she saw them sitting like that when she was in the kitchen, they were trying to decide what to do after dinner, Paris had suggested pool at the mansion and Lex said something sarcastic in reply, Martha thought they all looked the picture of innocence sitting on the porch like that so she grabbed her camera and snuck out front and took the picture. Martha picked the picture up, it to her chest and slid to the floor, she sat there for hours sobbing. After that she made sure to go into the office everyday and learn more about the young woman's life. One day in early August Jonathan had enough, he contacted Chloe and enlisted her help in finding Clark. To say Clark was a little resistant to the idea of coming home is an understatement. Clark actually fought Jonathan, who had super enhanced powers, in an effort to stay in Metropolis. In the end Clark lost and his father brought him home much to the relief of Martha.

Lionel: Lionel spent the summer pouring money and time into searching for Lex. He felt that his son had to be alive somewhere because his new wife had managed to live. On the outside he was a shrude businessman who balanced his search for his missing son. On the inside he was more worried and frightful than when his wife died, leaving him alone with Lex. Lionel Luthor didn't show emotion, instead he terrorized the staff both at work and at home. He was getting more and more suspicious of Helen by the day and it took all his willpower not to strangle the bitch. The day of Lex's memorial service was the most taxing on him. For the first time ever, Lionel Luthor admitted defeat. He scanned the crowd over and over before his speech but couldn't find Paris anywhere. He didn't think she'd show though, not because she didn't love Lex or respect him but because she was so despondent over the whole situation that she could barely function on a day to day basis let alone face the mortality of her dear friend. He had been in contact with Gustave over much of the summer and Paris' situation was not good at all, her depression had hit new lows and she was doing nothing to help herself out of it any time soon. The second happiest day in Lionel's life occurred when Lex jumped out at him from the shadows of his office, the first being the day his Alexander was born and that was over 23 years ago. At first he was startled at Lex's presence but he was so over relieved to see his son alive that he quickly assured Lex he had no hand in his disappearance. Lex looked ragged and hurt but he knew his boy was a survivor and he was proud.

Helen: Helen lived the life while Lex was gone. Not only did she have the sympathy of the whole world, but she was considered a hero, and those two components on top of bank accounts overflowing with money made her a happy camper. The worst day of her summer was the day Lex came home. So she decided that she had to keep trying to kill him until she succeeded.

Chloe: Before the summer started Chloe sold her soul to the devil for an article at the Dialy Planet. Now she was having second thoughts. She enjoyed her job but Lionel's insistence for more and more information on Clark was unnerving to her, she had to find a way out of the agreement she made with him that fateful night. She was becoming less pissed at Lana, but every time she wanted to ask Clark for help she was reminded of why she was in this mess and her anger returned and since Clark wasn't there she took both parts out on Lana. Every time she was in Metropolis she looked through the police reports because a new criminal looked like Clark. She finally found him one day but he was so mean and heartless toward her that she left, considering he threatened her life if she ever came back. And she missed Lex. For the longest time he was the only one with the intellect to play verbal judo with her. Their friendship was never the way his was with Clark but they did enjoy each other's company. Then there was Paris. She respected Paris and looked up to her. She understood why Paris left but wished she would come back. The days when Lex and Clark finally returned home she was so happy she thought she might float away.

Lana: After Clark left Lana was lost. She had no boyfriend and Chloe refused to even look at her. Usually she would have gone to Lex for help but he was missing. That hurt the most, the one person who really believed in her dream for the Talon wasn't around to share in it anymore. She had no one, as usual, so she did what she did best, she put on a happy face and buried herself in her work. The days Clark and Lex came home Lana was beside herself with joy.

Lex: When Lex's plane crashed he miraculously made it out alive. He managed to climb onto a wing and float to safety. He was aided by the compass Mr. Kent had given him as a wedding gift. He spent his summer barely surviving on a desert island and slowly going mad. He was malnourished and sunburnt, he had even created a nemesis in his mind. During his lucid moments he hated his father and his wife and missed the love of his life more than he could bare. He was tortured by vivid nightmares of his desolate existence and the hurt of those he loved back home. Then one day his prayers were answered, a merchant ship saw his fire and rescued him. The first thing he did when he got home was confront his father who set him straight and sent him to confront his conniving wife. He 'attempted' to reconcile with her, but she pulled a gun on him in the middle of a flight and then parachuted out of the plane. He was sure that he hadn't heard the last of Helen Bryce but he didn't care. All he wanted to do was find his Paris and make things right. In an effort to thank the Kent's for their life saving gift he bought their farm for them and endured they'd always have a place to call home.

Paris: When Paris arrived in France she locked herself in one of the spacious guest houses on the family's property, and rarely left her bedroom. She was supposed to do physical therapy for her injured knee and broken ribs and getting her to do that was like pulling teeth. Her grandfather was at his wits end with her after the first three weeks but he knew he could never turn his back on his granddaughter when she was so deeply hurt. She had left Albert to take care of her company and although he enjoyed movie making he was tired of taking responsibility for her business, he had his own life to live and taking on hers was not making him happy, but he couldn't let her staff down because they depended on her to pay their bills so he plowed away at and hoped she'd snap out of it soon but knew the truth. Around July he decided she should start therapy but even on the days he did manage to get her to go it was fruitless. She was content drinking herself into a stupor every night and sleeping through most of the day. On the nights she did go into the city she turned back to her old vices and came home blasted out of her mind, she had not been doing hard drugs but she was taking pain killers with alcohol and that is not advised by any doctor but she didn't care, the more numb she was the better life was. All she wanted in the whole world was for Lex to come home and that wasn't going to happen.


	16. And the Phonex Arose From the Ashes

After the second episode with Helen in the plane Lex made his way back home on auto pilot more or less. Basically he felt that his 'loving' wife, whom his father had paid to date him in the first place, only wanted him so she could kill him and the only person whom he ever really loved since his mother died was MIA and no one seemed to want to talk about it. When he wandered back into his study there was opera music playing and Lionel was sitting at the piano, he was torn between indifference and relief. He walked over to a crystal bowl and tossed his wedding ring in with a 'plink'.

Lionel broke the steady silence. "Well done, Lex. Well done." He walked over to LEx who was standing stoicly waiting for the other shoe to drop. "That was a Machiavellian maneuver worthy of a Luthor."

"I appreciate the kudos, but I don't know what you're talking about." Lex said with a self deprecating half smile.

Lionel gave a knowing grin. "Oh, come on, Lex. Do you think I'd neglect to put surveillance on my planes?" Lionel held up a small video cassette and chuckled. Lex poured a drink, not responding. "Poor Helen. Should we be sending out a search party for her?" Lionel said half serious.

"I have someone on it." Lex said flatly. "But if Helen survives, I doubt anyone will find her until she wants them to."

"You know, Lex, I, uh, never imagined that you would fall in love with Helen. I'm sorry it happened, son, but don't be too hard on yourself."

"You know the sick thing? Of all people, I knew you'd understand." He said as he walked over to Lionel.

"I do. Survival is what matters in life."

"I know that now. If I was anybody else's son I would have died on that island. All the tests you put me through . . . made me a survivor. If I keep my pride in check I know there's more to learn from you. I was hoping your offer still stands to run LuthorCorp together."

Lionel stood in shock as Lex put out his hand to shake on it.

"I, um, I-I don't want you making a hasty decision, Lex. You've just been through an incredibly traumatic ordeal. I think you should take some extra time off to recuperate."

Lex shook his head. "No. I've learned to trust my instincts."

Lionel looked into Lex's eyes for a moment, then took his sons hand in his own, placing his other hand on top.

Lionel's voice choked with emotion. "Good to have you back . . . Son."

Lex slowly walked forward and into Lionel's arms. He rested his chin on his father's shoulder and his eyes fell shut. Lionel's face was a mixed expression of confusion and hesitance. After almost a minute Lionel let Lex go. Lex sat down on the couch across from where Lionel was sitting. Lionel went to get them each a glass of scotch. Lionel handed Lex a glass before sitting back down facing Lex. Lex rolled the glass between his palms, almost contemplatively, before taking a sip.

"What's wrong Lex?"

"Where's Paris? I thought she'd be home by now but I haven't seen her anywhere. Is she distancing herself because of Helen? I know they didn't get along but, Helen's no longer a factor. I drove by the house but it was completely shut up, all the doors were locked..." Lex trailed off.

Lionel looked at his drink sadly before speaking up. "Out of all the people around here I think Paris had the worst summer out all of us. Paris was in a car accident."

"Is she alright?" Lex asked with urgency in his voice.

"Physically she's healed well, but psychologically she is faltering. She was in the accident on the way to your wedding. She was in a coma for three days, she suffered a sprained knee, a double concussion, all of her ribs were broken a burst appendix and..." Lionel stopped, he wasn't sure if he should go on.

"And what dad? Is she a vegetable or something? Please tell me, I need to know."

"With all the internal and external injuries she suffered she had a miscarriage."

Lex was shocked, a look of hurt and surprise crossed his face. "I didn't know she was seeing anyone. Whose was it?" Lex took another sip from his glass.

Lionel didn't say anything he just locked eyes with Lex.

After a moment realization set in and Lex choked on his drink and coughed a bit. "Mine?"

Lionel nodded in the affirmative.

"Who told you?"

"That doesn't matter, no one that could use it against either of you knows."

Lex got up and started pacing. "We only slept together once, well many times in the course of two days from what I've been told. But that was..." Lex stopped to think. "That was six months ago, three months before my wedding. If she knew then why didn't she say anything?!" Lex was furious.

"Son calm down, please. Look at this from her perspective. Her best friend, a man who she has been fighting her feelings for for a very long time, was getting married to a woman who hated her. She finds out she's pregnant. She is faced with two options, either tell you she's pregnant and deal with the anger and hostility that that situation would create tension between you and Helen, her and Helen, her and you, and the inevitable tension between Malcolm and myself. Or she can hide it from everyone, leave town for awhile knowing no one would question her leaving because of her schedule, sell her house citing that she was moving back home to be with her grandfather and deal with some pressing family issues, and raise her child in peace, leaving you to your new life. In her scared state of mind she was saving us all by leaving."

"How do you know all this?"

"I've been in contact with her grandfather."

"Where is she?"

Lionel looked down at his glass not saying a word.

"Dad please I need to go to her. Where is she?"

"We all thought you were dead. When we told her she couldn't handle it. She's in France self destructing."

Lex stopped pacing and sat down. "How bad is she?"

"She's bad Lex. She's in exile, the only time she leaves the grounds is to go party in the city. She drinks constantly, she's mixing antidepressants and painkillers with alcohol and God knows what else, she's pushing her grandfather away and she isn't even speaking to Albert or Bruce. It goes without saying that she hasn't talked to anyone else in the states either, she's completely abandoning her career. She's so beside herself that she couldn't bring herself to come to the memorial service, I think if she did it would have killed her."

"Dad I need to go to her!"

"You don't have to say another word Lex, I can have you on a plane out there tonight. If you're up for it."

"I am. But first I need to go do something." Lex went and gave the Kent's their farm free and clear.

----Lex's Plane---

Given his aversion to flying coupled with his recent string of plane mishaps Lex wasn't usually the person you would see staring out the window of a plane, but Paris was one of the few cities that could make him forget that he was terrified of flying. 'A beautiful woman named for a beautiful city.' He thought to himself, cheesy but true. The pilot came on the P.A as they passed by the Eiffel Tower and over the Arc D' Triumph.

"Mr. Luthor we will be landing in the next ten minutes if you would please fasten your seatbelt."

Lex snapped out of the momentary trance he was in and sat back in his seat for landing. After de boarding the plane he was escorted to a limo his father had pre-arranged for him. The hour long car ride through the French countryside was quite a bit more relaxing than the eight hour flight he managed to stay awake through. As the limousine wound it's way through the gates of the ancient French castle, up the long driveway Lex gathered all his inner strength and braced himself for what lay ahead of him. He had no problem getting on the property unannounced since all the staff knew him. Gustave lived in the main house of the property and Paris's house was in another part of the vast property that her family owned. As he entered the house a feeling of unrest and sadness surrounded him, he could tell that Paris had all the staff on edge. A house maid led him to Paris's bedroom. "I can take it from here." He said. He quietly walked into her room and sat down on her bed. She was sprawled out in the middle of the bed, passed out, presumably, given the half empty bottle of vodka and sleeping pills on her nightstand. She had kicked her covers off, she was sleeping in a pair of black cotton shorts and a tight white tank top. He could see the edges of the bandages wrapping her ribs peeking out from the edges where her tank top wasn't covering. He could tell that she had lost weight. Her hair was in a pony tail, her roots were about three inches long revealing her natural honey brown hair color, all over her head where highlights were. He frowned sadly at the thought of his Paris being reduced to a shell of herself. The usually vibrant, sexy, vivacious 23 year old woman with a love of life and unbelievable drive now looked more like the depressed 16 year old who tried to kill herself so long ago. He ran his knuckles lightly over her now sharper more hallow cheek before deciding to wake her. Gently shaking her shoulders and softly calling her name he coaxed her awake. As she wiped the sleep out of her eyes she couldn't believe what she saw.

"I was told I could find you out here." He said.

She grabbed her pillow. A look of surprise and terror on her gaunt, pale face. She was panicked. "You're a hallucination. You're not here. You died. My doctor told me not to mix prescription drugs and alcohol and I didn't listen. Holy shit I'm dead." She started to freak out.

Lex laughed. "No, you're alive and it's really me. Go ahead and touch me if you don't believe me."

She did just that. She slowly sat up, with Lex's help, being mindful of her healing injuries, she took in his severe sun burn then reached up and touched his forearm, then his shoulder, his ear, and then she ran her fingertips over his cheek, and lips. He captured her hand in his and kissed her palm. "Oh my God." She said, with tears streaming down her face. "But how? They said. She said." Paris was crying hysterically. "It's really you." She put her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, he in turn put his arms around her thin waist and hugged her back.

"I know, I know. Everyone thought I died but I didn't." He talked into her hair.

"I thought you were gone forever." She was still sobbing.

"Shhh. You need to calm down before you start hyperventilating and you'll hurt your ribs worse." He pulled away and held her shoulders gently, speaking softly.

"This is all my fault."

"What?"

"This is all my fault."

"How exactly did you cause my being stranded on a desert island for three months?"

"Because I lied to you."

"Paris don't worry about that right now. I know all about it. We can talk about it later. Right now we both need to get some rest, okay."

"Uhhuh." Paris nodded her head and wiped some excess wetness from her cheeks.

Lex grabbed a Kleenex from the box on her nightstand and aided her. After lightly pushing her hand away he began to dab her cheeks.

"Thank you." She said smiling as he finished. "I can't believe I'm such a mess." She blushed a bit.

"It's okay. I'm here now and everything's going to be fine. Paris there's something I need to tell you."

"You're an alien?" She joked.

"No, good guess though." He chuckled. "This experience has made me realize something. I need to go with my instincts. Ever since you moved to Smallville I have been fighting something that has been building for years. Ever since we broke up years ago, I have done everything from denial, to substance abuse, working endless days, falling for the wrong women. But I'm not going to deny it any longer. Paris I love you and I want to be with you."

"You love me. Oh I'm gonna cry again."

Lex chuckled. "Please don't I don't think I can handle it."

"Okay. Let's get some sleep. You are staying in here right?"

"If you want."

"I do. I really do."

"Good."

Lex quickly changed into a pair of pj pants and an old Metropolis U t-shirt.

"Well that was quick." Paris joked.

"I know. What can I say I'm in the mood to sleep in a comfortable bed with a beautiful woman." Lex said as he slid in next to Paris. He was laying on his back. Paris turned her light off then turned and rested her chin on his chest.

"Alexander."

"Yes?"

"I love you too."

"I know." Lex smirked.

"Jackass." Paris stretched and kissed him on the forehead. Then she laid her head on his chest, over his heart, Lex wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her to him as they fell asleep.

Thank you all for your reviews keep 'em coming!!!!!!!!


	17. Exile over

The first few days after Lex arrived in France were fantastic. They slept until noon everyday and just hung around the estate the rest of the time, swimming, riding, watching television or movies, they were more relaxed than either had been in years. They hadn't gone 'out' on an actual date but they were both fine with that because they were still getting accustomed to life as a couple, their physical relationship hadn't even progressed past light kissing and cuddling (yes Lex Luthor is a cuddler) but they weren't in a hurry to rush things. They wanted to do everything right.

The only thing that Lex perceived as being off or out of sorts was the relationship between Paris and Gustave. Usually they got along better than any two people Lex had ever seen. Paris was always Gustaves petit fille (little girl). Usually no matter what was going on Gustave and Paris had a great repor they talked about anything and everything. But lately things were strained between them. Conversations were quick and questions were answered tersely, there was no joking, no laughing no eye contact, not even a smile was exchanged between the two. Meal conversations were usually centered on Lex and his plans for the future or Gustave's next diplomatic or business pursuit, no one talked about Paris even though she was sitting right there. One day about a week into Lex's visit everything between Paris and Gustave came to a head.

----

Paris walked downstairs in her riding gear on Saturday afternoon. Gustave was headed up to see her and they met in the foyer.

"Paris where do you think you're going?" He asked sternly.

"Well...Riding boots, riding helmet, riding clothes. Isn't it obvious? I'm going to church." She answered sarcastically.

"Paris you have an appointment with your therapist in 2 hours. You blew it off last week. I don't suggest you do the same this week."

"You can't make me go to therapy grandpere. I'm fine. Lex is here. I'm fine!"

"No you're not! Lex being here does not erase the fact that you suffered a traumatizing ordeal or that you spent this summer poisoning yourself whilst in hiding from the rest of the world."

"I've been through worse. Now please step out of my way so I can go riding."

"Paris you are not leaving until you finish your therapy sessions."

"I'm not a kid and I haven't broken the law so no I won't. And you can't hold me here against my will."

"Your father agrees with me. He can have your citizenship revoked and your passport invalidated."

"You can't do that." Paris said near tears.

"We will."

"I can't believe you'd actually take his side over mine."

"This isn't about sides Paris."

Lex came down the stairs ready to go riding as well. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Paris answered, never taking her eyes off her grandfather.

"People in this house don't argue over nothing."

"Lex drop it, please."

"Paris I think Lex has a right to know."

"He doesn't need to know. Don't do this to me."

Gustave ignored her plea. "Paris has been ditching her therapy lessons during the past month. And her doctor as well as Malcolm and I are in agreement that she is in no mental state to go back to the U.S. at this time."

"This is not a matter up for discussion. This is my life!"

"Paris..."

"No I don't want to hear it. I can't believe you betrayed me like that." She pushed past Lex and ran back upstairs.

Lex looked to Gustave, dumbfounded. "I had no idea any of this was going on."

"It's alright. I should have told you earlier but I was hoping that she'd just do what needed to be done. I should know better. She's a good girl, just hard headed."

Lex just nodded in agreement and headed back upstairs. He found Paris sitting in a corner of her walk in closet with her knees tucked under her chin and her arms wrapped around her legs, crying. He stuck his hands in his pockets and walked in after her. "I thought you were claustrophobic."

"'s a big closet." She mumbled, not looking at him.

"I see." She was right, the closet was huge. He knelt down in front of her and put his hands over hers. "What's wrong?"

She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Um my grandfather insists on treating me like a child and he just humiliated me."

"I don't think anyone was laughing at you Paris."

"Please don't patronize me."

"Fine. You need to finish your therapy sessions before they'll let you come back with me. How long do you think this standoff is going to last. Because I do have to get back to LuthorCorp sometime and I believe you have a company also."

"Why does there always need to be something wrong with me? Why every time something happens I get thrown in therapy right away? I'm not sick."

"No you're not sick but you are depressed. I can see it in everything you do. You hardly eat, you've all but stopped taking your medication, you're not talking to your grandfather, you cry in the bathroom at night when you think no one can hear you."

"You heard that?" She asked, shocked.

"I did. Please finish your therapy. You'll feel better and I'll feel better knowing you're better."

She gave him a smile. "Why are you using circular logic?"

"Is it working?" He gave her a grin.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean it will in the future."

"Alright. Come here." He grabbed her up into a hug.

----

A week later Paris had made up all her missed appointments, had made up with her grandfather and was about to head back home with Lex. The night before their departure Gustave gave them tickets to Cirque Du Soleil after that they went to a jazz club and stumbled back into the house around 3:00 in the morning.

Paris was standing in the closet trying to undress when she realized she couldn't reach her zipper. "Lex." She called into the bedroom.

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me with my zipper?"

"Yeah sure." He appeared behind her.

She swept her hair up to make it easier for him to find the zipper. Secretly she was enjoying the motion of him dragging the zipper down, combined with the feel of his breath on her neck.

Lex leaned in and spoke softly into her ear. "Do you remember the last time I did this for you?"

The feeling of his warm breath hitting her ear joined with the soft vibrations of his voice sent chills down her spine. Lex could see her shudder with delight.

She leaned back against his chest, dropped her hair and let him push the garment off her shoulders "Yeah, it was our prom."

"Do you remember what happened after that?"

She answered in a low seductive voice. "The same thing that always happens when you undress me." She turned to face him and lightly ran her hands up over his clothed chest before leaning in to kiss him.

She knew exactly how to turn him on, and he could have sworn she planned this; him helping her with her dress only to find she had worn a black lace thong with matching bra. Right now all he knew was he wanted to get the few remaining garments off her as soon as possible and get her into bed. The feeling of her hands on his chest as she kissed him caused Lex to harden immediately, well than and three months on a desert island, but mostly her. They didn't separate until it was absolutely necessary. When they did separate they could see it in each other's eyes blue and green were all but gone, instead wide black pupils were all that remained. Lex leaned down this tome to kiss her more forcefully, pushing his tongue into her mouth only to find hers waiting to coax it. He reached down around her bottom and picked her up, walking out of the closet and to the bed.

When the got to the bed She proceeded to tear his shirt off, sending button projectiles flying to every part of the room. He had managed to get her bra off one handed, while the other sat on the small of her back keeping her up as she straddled his lap. She pushed him down onto the mattress and proceeded to undo the button of his pants and unzip them, all without stopping kissing him. He flipped them over so she was on her back and he was on top.

He tore his mouth from hers and just took the sight of her in for a moment. She looked absolutely perfect laying there flushed, her hair pooled around her head. He stood and let his pants slide off, stepping out of them as they fell to the floor. Paris grinned impishly and reached over with her foot and tugged the elastic of his boxers down. Yes she was a talented woman. After successfully getting them to Lex's thighs he did the rest. Now all that stood between them and the rest of their lives was a piece of lace.

Lex leaned in and kissed her again, this time placing his hands on either side of the piece of fabric and slowly extracted it from her body as he deepened the kiss. When he finally got it off she wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him closer.

Lex abruptly stopped kissing her and stood straight up. "Shit."

Paris was very confused. "What?"

"Condoms. We need condoms."

"Oh, wait." She sat up and reached for the top drawer of her night stand, producing a brand new 6 pack.

Lex quirked an eyebrow as she handed him the packet. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"No, paranoid. It's better to be safe than sorry."

He could see the sincerity in her face so decided not to press the issue. He quickly sheathed himself, as she lay back down. When he was done he settled back between her legs and started to suck the pulse point on her neck.

She was moaning with delight under the attention Lex was lavishing on her body, but she wanted him inside her. She had tried to lift her hips in order to give him a hint but he wasn't budging. "We have time for slow later. Please Lex."

Luthor's didn't pass up chances in ANY area of life. With one swift motion Lex was deep inside her. When he entered her it was warm, and tight from her not having and sex in over 6 months. They could both feel the electricity flow through both their bodies, she gasped and he groaned, both in pleasure. Paris felt complete and Lex felt at home. They both knew that for the rest of their lives they would not be without the other.  
  
They used the entire pack that night.

The next afternoon they boarded a plane for Kansas. They were sore and tired, but they were going home together.


	18. Atonement

When Paris got home she had some big time atoning to do. First to the Kents, then to her staff in California.

She woke up early, well early for her at least, the day after she and Lex returned to Smallville. She felt relaxed and well rested, even though she should have had a serious case of jet lag, it was part excitement part post orgasmic bliss. They were sleeping in Lex's gigantic and sensationally comfortable bed, it felt like a big hug. The sun was creeping in under the curtains, she was wrapped around Lex who was sleeping soundly and sharing his pillow, sure she had more then enough room on her side but who needs that when you can spoon with Lex Luthor, life was good. She cracked one eye open and decided it was too early to be up, so she burrowed her head further into the pillow, behind Lex, the ends of her hair tickling his neck.

"I don't think that's going to work." Lex said as he yawned.

"Did I wake you up?" She asked, groggily, her eyes still closed against the day.

"No. I just tried the same thing a few seconds ago."

"Damn." She rolled back to her side and stretched, arching her back with catlike grace. "MMMMM." She groaned in appreciation, as her muscles stretched and bones cracked, then made her way back to Lex's side of the bed and laid her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beat through the soft cotton of his t-shirt and the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. She could definitely get used to more mornings like this and she was planning on it.

He lightly ran his fingers through her hair, being mindful to steer clear of knots, loud yelps of pain first thing in the morning were not his favorite part of the day. "So what do you have planned for today?"

"Stuff." She answered non-committaly with a shrug.

The corners of Lex's lips went up in a small grin. "Stuff huh? Do you want to tell me what kind of stuff or are we going with non-descript?"

"Going to the Kent's and apologizing for my behavior, and thanking them for taking care of my house and Cicero. I feel bad for abandoning him all summer."

"I know. They'll forgive you. He may not though."

She turned her head to face him and swatted his arm. "Thanks, I really needed to know that my dog may hate me." She said half joking.

"Well come on, the Kent's farm is a dog's paradise."

"Shut up."

"Make me." He teased.

"Mmm. I smell a challenge." She crawled up his chest and slowly lowered her mouth to his. "I like challenges. I win challenges."

----Kent farm three hours later----

Paris pulled up in one of Lex's Porches. After cutting the engine she took a deep breath and steadied herself before walking into the Kent house. She didn't see anyone out front as she walked up the path, hell she couldn't even see her dog and he was white with black spots. She trudged up the back steps, her gym shoes making a soft scuffing noise, then hesitantly knocked on the screen door.

Martha was upstairs cleaning when she heard a knock on her back door. When she looked out the window her heart leapt, she came jogging down the stairs after she saw the black Porche parked in her driveway, but the sight at her back door caused her to stop dead in her tracks. "Paris." She gasped. She ran to the back door and all but dragged the young woman inside.

"Hi Maroof..." She was cut off when Martha grabbed her into a bear hug. It felt good to be hugged like that.

"Let me get a look at you." Martha let her go and examined her, as she may a new dress or painting, the first thing she noticed was her now slightly frail frame. "You've lost weight." She said displeased.

Paris squirmed a bit. "Yeah I did. I'm putting it back on though. Not with junk food, well not too much junk food, mainly carbs and training." She wasn't sure why she felt the need to explain herself but it seemed right.

"Good, you don't need to get too thin. Come sit down." Martha ushered her into a stool at the counter.

Paris did just that. Objecting was going to be no use and she knew it.

"Would you like some orange juice?"

"No thanks. Bad CAT Scan flashbacks, I won't be drinking anything orange colored or flavored for at least a month. But I'd love some coffee."

"Great. And I just made cinnamon rolls." Martha busied herself getting the mugs. A few seconds later she came to the counter with two steaming cups of coffee and cinnamon rolls.

"Before you say anything I want to apologize to you. I'd like to apologize to Jonathan and Clark too but they don't seem to be around."

"They went to get feed. They took Cicero with them too. I hope you don't mind, he loves riding in the back of the pickup."

Her face fell a bit but she cheered back up before Martha noticed. "No I'm grateful that you have taken such good care of him. You've done more for him this summer than I have. If he were a kid I'd have DCFS after me."

Martha reached out and took her hand. "Paris don't say things like that."

"No it's okay. I had a problem and I ran away. I abandoned you all, and you have been so great to me and you really didn't have to be. Most people see me as Malcolm Stratford's daughter, or the spoiled little girl from New York who used mommy and daddy's names to get where she is. You all didn't, you gave me a chance and I gave up. And I'm sorry. I should have called or e-mailed you, you didn't know if I was still alive or even if I was coming back." Paris stopped to compose herself. "When my mother died I never thought anyone would care for me the way she had. She was the most amazing person in the world, but I'm biased."

"You loved her a lot. You still miss her don't you?" Martha said lovingly.

Paris closed her eyes for a second. "Everyday with every ounce of my soul. Usually it can keep it in perspective but sometimes it gets unbearable, like this summer. But when I woke up in that hospital you were sitting beside me, holding my hand. You had your own things to deal with and you stayed with me. When I saw you sitting there, for the first time in a long time I felt truly safe and secure. You shared your warmth and love with me and as soon as I could I ran. And I am truly sorry for that."

Martha gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Paris you have nothing to be sorry for. You were in a situation that no one could ever know how to deal with. You did what came natural to you and you don't have to be sorry for that, ever. Do you understand me?"

Paris nodded. "I know this won't make up for all that you have done for me but I'd like to give it to you and Jonathan anyway." She pulled a check from her back pocket and handed it to Martha.

When Martha saw the amount the check was for her jaw dropped but she quickly recomposed herself. "Paris you paid us before the wedding. This is too much."

"You went above and beyond for me it's the least I can do."

"Paris that's what family does for each other and Lex already helped us with the farm."

Paris smiled. "Thank you and I know about Lex. But I still insist that you and Jonathan take it."

Martha nodded and put the check on the table. "Paris I hope you don't mind but I found your office."

Paris wasn't following. "Well it's not a secret that I tend to work from home."

"No, I went in. I found your photo albums and some home videos."

Paris smiled. "Oh that. No I don't mind at all."

"Are you sure?"

"No it's fine. I'm glad someone got some use out of them this summer."

"I think it helped me understand you more. I also realize why you feel the way you do about Lex. He's the first person outside of your family you've ever loved, really fell in love with, isn't he?"

Paris smiled fondly. "Yeah. He's the only one. I mean I was 17 when I fell in love with him, but it was so right and it still is. I can't remember not wanting to spend the rest of my life with him."

Martha smiled. "He feels the same way about you. I can tell. You're lucky to have each other."

"Thank you. Now all we have to do is convince our fathers of that, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"You love each other and that will help you through anything."

Paris chuckled. "Obviously you've never seen our fathers in action. They can make nuns swear."

Martha smiled back. "You'll be fine."

Jonathan and Clark came in with Cicero, who was barking wildly. He ran up to Paris and all but jumped in her lap. She hopped off her stool and knelt down to pet him and laughed when he licked her face. "Did you miss me? I'm sorry I left you." She gave the pup a hug then stood up to face Clark and Mr. Kent. "Hi."

Jonathan gave a small smile. "Paris, welcome home. This is your home again isn't it?" his voice and face were stern but Paris knew he wasn't mad.

"Yes it is. Permanently."

"It's good to have you back sweetheart." He walked over and gave her a hug.

"It's good to be welcomed back." He let her go and sat next to Martha. "Clark is it my imagination or have you gotten taller?" She ribbed him.

He ducked his head and shoved his hands in his pockets. "No you've just been gone too long."

"I guess. Well that's not happening again."

"Good. So how's Lex?"

"He's good. I think he was still sleeping when I left."

"Lex slept in?"

"He does that sometimes." Paris tried to be nonchalant, Martha and Jonathan snickered a bit behind her.

Clark's eyes grew two sizes and he started to shift uncomfortably when he finally realized what she was talking about. "Yeah well, dad has some chores for me so I'll see you later." He gave her a quick hug and bolted out the door.

She turned to Martha and Jonathan. "I think I've scarred him for life."

"It had to come sooner or later." Martha joked.

Paris chuckled. "I don't want to take up too much of your day so I'll be going. Besides I have to pack for a business trip."

"So soon?" Martha asked, concerned.

"Yeah if I want to stay in Kansas permanently I have to make some changes."

"What kind of changes?" Jonathan chimed in.

A sly grin crossed Paris' face. "You'll see." She turned to the dog who was sitting at her feet. "Alright Cicero are you ready to get Lex's car full of fur?"

The dog stood quickly at the mention of a 'car.'

"Here's his leash." Jonathan sadly handed the leash to her.

"Thank you again."

"You're welcome."

Paris put the leash on the dog and walked out of the house. "And guess what. You can get nose prints on the windows too. Just don't do those things in my car."

Jonathan and Martha watched her and the dog pull away. He slid his arm around her waist and she leaned into him. "They're going to make it."

"I know. I just don't think it's going to be easy for them. They don't deserve that."

"They'll be fine. Lex doesn't take no for an answer and I don't think Paris does either."

----Crimson and Clover Productions, Los Angeles California, Monday Morning----

There were whispers and sidelong glances at Paris as she stood at the head of her board room table looking into the expectant faces of all her employees who, she assumed, were all wondering what in the world she was going to tell them and had they all just lost their jobs. She looked to her two office managers who were sitting to her left and Albert who was seated at her right before clearing her throat to begin. "Alright everyone I want to make this quick. We have a lot of work to get done." The room fell silent. "First of all I would like to apologize for leaving this summer. As the owner of this company it was irresponsible on my part. Secondly I would like to commend you all on a job well done. You rallied together this summer and this will be our most profitable quarter to date. I guess I should leave more often." Soft laughter filled the room. "I would also like to thank Jeffery and Mallory for stepping up and taking charge of things in my absence. And my cousin Albert for filling my shoes, you have done a phenomenal job. Okay, so you all know I didn't just call you here to give you a pat on the back. In April we did an exploration as to the benefits of relocating to Kansas." Muffled whispers filled the room. "Everyone calm down, we are still a relatively small operation and there is no need for us to move this office to Metropolis. But the facts came in; and with its, phenomenal tax breaks for filming there, easy to manipulate sky line, relatively unused space, and easy access to California and Canada Crimson and Clover will be opening a studio in Metropolis. We will start with three large movie scale soundstages, and two television studios. With this expansion we will be hiring full time writing, production, special effects, direction and all other crews, as opposed to contracting like we have in the past this will be a fully functioning studio. We have done above and beyond expectations on the small scale, we are the most profitable independent production company in California. And in ten years time I want to be in serious competition with Disney, Paramount and Warner Brothers Studios. And in 15 years I want to be on top in this industry, toppling what it took them the better part of a century to build. Since you are the staff I started with you all have the option of staying in the L.A office or moving to Kansas. Beth is handing out packets right now detailing our plan and what would be involved with moving including personal incentives to employees. Any questions?"

Eric raised his hand. "If were going big in Metropolis why are you keeping the L.A. office?"

"This is the office we started with. I would build the studio here but there is truly no room and we all know my aversion to moving back here." More polite laughter. "But in order to stay competitive with Hollywood standards we need to keep our hub in L.A. we still need to network and keep our faces familiar. This office will still do its normal day to day operations. And some of you will have upgrades in job title due to more responsibilities back here."

"When do we break ground?"

"The land and building have already been purchased and we should be ready to move in by the end of the month. Taping starts in October. By the way everyone is getting a ten percent raise retroactive from June." There were a few cheers and claps. A sly grin formed on Paris' lips "Oh and by the way. Due to Michael Eisner's short sightedness we now own Pixar Animation. They will be joining us in December." The room erupted in cheers and shouts and hand slapping. "Everyone get ready to be millionaires. This meeting is over, everyone have a good day." Paris walked out of the room followed by Albert. When they got back to her office she sat down behind her desk and he sat down in front. "Albert I do want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am so sorry for laying all of this on you this summer. I didn't even think about you before I left."

Albert just nodded. "It's not a problem. But if you do it again I'm going to smite you." He joked.

She smirked. "Point taken." She reached into her messenger bag and pulled out an envelope and handed it to him across the desk.

"What's this?" He asked. Slightly taken aback.

"This is a proposal."

"Like a Robert Redford Demi Moore proposal?" He asked sarcastically.

"No, and ewwww!" She said with a laugh.

He opened the envelope and his eyes almost fell out of his head. "You're giving me my own film crew and company under you."

"In order to do the things you want you need a support system who will let you do anything you want. No strings attached you'll still be able to use your indie company and logo. You get any project you want hell you can be the English Michael Moore if you want to. I won't give you the kind of static the other studios do."

"You are the best cousin ever!" He jumped out of his seat and hugged her.

"The question is do you want to do it here or in Kansas?"

"Are you kidding me? I had the worst burn ever this summer, L.A. is the devil in my mind. I'm doing this standing next to you and if you're doing this in Kansas so am I. Besides I'm sure I'll need you standing by with bail money one day. When do we leave?"

"Day after tomorrow."

"Great. Time for the press conference. Let's go."

----Talon Tuesday morning----

The headline on the Daily Planet in Chloe's hand read "Move over LuthorCorp. Stratford heiress to relocate company to Metropolis," with a picture of Paris under it. She sat down at the coffee bar to talk to Lana. "Check it out. Paris is building a studio here."

"Why would anyone do that?" Lana asked, befuddled.

"Maybe she sees something in Metropolis that no one else does. Maybe it's her Talon. Either way I think life in Kansas just got a little more interesting."

"Well at least it'll be more aromatic then the fertilizer plant."

----

I know not much has gotten done by way of canon Smallville but I needed to get Paris to Kansas permanently. Reviews are more than welcome and appreciated, flame if you want.

P.S. RIP Chris Reeve.


	19. A typical Saturday in Smallville

Paris and Albert came walking into the Talon late one Saturday afternoon. They found Chloe in a U shaped both near the back and sat with her.

"Hey Chloe. What are you working on?" Paris asked happily as she sat down.

Chloe's eyes never left the computer screen in front of her. "Same old, same old. Someone didn't turn their article for the Torch in and I have to finish it."

"What's it on?"

"Our town's sad excuse for a football team." Chloe said, her voice full of resentment.

"Why so hostile Sullivan?" Albert asked, amused.

Chloe ran her hands through her hair in frustration. "I just don't understand worshipping a team that has gone winless for six straight seasons. At the risk of sounding clichéd, this quaint little farming town is overflowing with herd mentality."

The cousins just chuckled and let her get back to her work.

"Hey guys." Lana walked up to the table with her order pad in hand. "You look oddly comfortable for just coming from Metropolis." She said, noting Albert's grey track pants and sweatshirt and Paris' black pj pants and sweatshirt.

"Well my brilliant cousin feels that if we are unfortunate enough to be in the office on Saturday we should be as comfortable as possible. Unfortunately she failed to mention that the interior designer is scrumptious enough to have just fallen out of the Abercrombie catalogue. And I walked in looking like this."

Paris turned to Albert. "Okay you're a diva and you were absolutely no help today so I don't want to hear another word about you walking in looking like glorified butt." There was a hint of joking in her voice. Then she turned to Lana. "You'd be surprised Lana. The entertainment industry is quite lax in the way of dress code."

"Well either way, sounds like you two have had quite a day."

"Yes we have and if I have to look at one more paint or fabric swatch I'm going to impale someone with my cell phone, and I really like this phone." Paris said.

Lana chuckled. "Well we don't want that. What can I get you to drink?"

Albert ordered first. "Coffee, black, please Lana."

"And for you Paris?"

"Caramel macchiato, two extra espresso shots, foam, no whipped cream, soy milk. Thanks Lana." She closed here eyes and laid her head on the back of the booth.

"As you can see I am significantly less high maintenance than my cousin."

Paris didn't even look over. "Suck it and you're still a diva."

"Someone's in a mood."

"Someone bugged me all day."

Lana smiled and shook her head, they fought like brother and sister. "Chloe do you want a re-fill?" No answer. "Earth to Chloe. Woohoo, come in Chloe!" Lana waived a hand in front of her face.

Chloe snapped out of her computer trance and looked up at Lana, blinking. "Huh? What?"

Lana looked at her concerned. "Do you want a refill?"

She smiled a little. "Sure that'd be great." Lana left to get their orders.

"You need to get some sleep. You're too young to be lost in the coffee haze." Paris said, concerned.

"No I'm fine. I just need to get some competent reporters on the Torch." Chloe said, agitated.

Paris' cell phone started playing Weezers' 'Island in the sun.' "Ooh it's Mack." Paris smiled happily and answered the call. "Hellooo.... Sweetie please, stop yelling at the Bostonians, they're not from New York. They don't like it....What's wrong?... I'm sorry, I know law school is hard." She let out a chuckle. "Believe me my life is not as fun as it looks all the time... Okay fine my life is significantly more fun than law school... Oh Albert's sitting next to me laughing at you..." She turned to him. "She says you're a schmuck."

"I miss her too."

"Albert says hi... No Lex is at home working. Hopefully he'll be here soon... Here's what you need to do. Go to Sephora, or Ulta, whichever's closest. Buy new nail polish and paint your toes. Then pick out a cute outfit and shoes and go out and make all the uptight law school boys drool... I know I'm the best friend ever... When's fall break?..."

Lex walked up to the table. "Hello everyone. Chloe may I?" He motioned to get it.

"Fine." Chloe huffed and slid out so he could slide in next to Paris.

"Didn't mean to bother you Chloe."

"You didn't." She said dismissively, then went back to typing.

"Hi." Paris said, sounding tired and sad with a slight pout, then continued talking to Mack. "Yeah I think I can get home that weekend... A weekend in the city should keep the dad happy for awhile, at least until the holidays... No, he's been surprisingly civil lately, but that won't last long I'm sure of it... Fine it'll be just me.... Yes I know you like Lex and it's nothing against him, I'm sure he won't be too hurt... Okay we will eat Krispy Kremes and Gray's Papaya and, ooh, and Dim Sum Ed's until they have to roll us out the door because we can't move in our sugar induced MSG laden coma... Of course we can have Ben and Jerry's, what do we put on the donuts if we don't? " She smiled at her friends odd ballness. "They opened a new club....What's it called? Club what?... That's what I thought you said..." She sounded suspicious. "They had one here in Metropolis but it closed a few years ago, maybe they franchised the name. Anyway, we can always go to Hedonism. Are our pictures still on the wall?..." She smiled at the images that memory conjured up, and what they did to earn a spot on the wall of fame. "Alright, Lex is here now so I'll talk to you later. Alright bye." She hung up the phone and pillowed her head on her arms on the table. "Kill me now." She mumbled tiredly.

"Your chat with Mack not go well?" Lex asked sympathetically.

"No, that was fine. I'm just glad we have mobile to mobile or I'd run out of minutes every time she has a crisis."

"You have 5000 daytime minutes and unlimited nights and weekends." Albert said, alarmed.

"You know I use almost all my daytime minutes and that's not the point." Paris sat up a little too fast and smacked her head on the wall behind her. "Oww." She groaned and rubbed the sore spot. "Anyway when she's in a mood, especially a bad one she can talk for hours and I mean hours. We once had a 5 hour phone conversation because she lost a shoe. Now it was a bad ass pair of shoes I borrowed them many a time, but it just capped off a shitty week."

"I see. Maybe you should try couples therapy because you two are completely co-dependant. Does Lex know your relationship consists of three people?"

"Are not. And yet again, suck it diva boy."

"Whatever, Grace."

"I'm talking to Lex now." She turned to Lex with a well placed pout on her face. "I had to look at paint swatches all day and he didn't do anything but hit on the designer."

"I'm sorry." He put his arm around her and pulled her to him, she rested her head on his shoulder and waited for Lana to come with their drinks. "What else happened?"

"I got up at 6:00 to go to Metropolis and I haven't seen you in two days. Oh and I have the house guest from hell."

"You can ship him to the castle."

"Excuse me but no, I'm sorry mate but your father still scares me a bit."

"No one's talking to you." Paris reminded him.

"You're talking about me."

She was about to say something to Albert but Lana came with their orders. She took a sip of her drink and calmed down a bit. "Did you know they opened a Club Zero in New York?" She asked Lex.

He stopped drinking mid swallow, but masked his surprise. "No I didn't. I don't think it's a good idea to go there though."

"Why not? I mean we used to have fun there when I'd visit you at MetU."

"The clientele changed. It has a bad reputation, that's why the one here closed." He had to cover for the truth, and he hated lying to her but this was not the place to have the Club Zero discussion.

She just shrugged her shoulders, "It's not like there aren't 500 other clubs in the city," and went back to her drink. "Albert can you get out I have to go to the bathroom?"

"Well I've been so unhelpful today why would I move to let you out?" Albert said smugly.

"Oh come on. You were oogling the interior decorator all freakin day while I had to deal with six feet of pushy blonde assistant who may have gotten her decorating degree at the Metropolis school for the blind. I would have been better off going to Ikea by myself and figuring it out." Her eyes were wide with disbelief as she spoke and waited for him to move. "You know what, fine." She drew her legs up onto her seat, stood up and stepped over Albert.

"What was that about?" Lex asked.

Albert turned to Lex. "Lex mate, can you please get her out of the house for a few days? I'll even watch the pooch just get her away from me."

"Albert it's her house. She has the right to be there."

"Yes, but wherever I am she's there too. Home she's there, work she's there. Anywhere I go in town she's there. It's like living with my mother, but Paris is not as overbearing, but that's not the point. I don't remember it being this hard to be around her so much. I can't take it anymore. How did you two live together and not kill each other?"

Chloe let out a snort from across the table, earning a surprised look from the other two occupants. She looked up from the computer. "What? If you're going to invade my work space I'm going to over hear your conversations, proceed."

Lex turned back to Albert. "Albert I live in an 80 room castle. If you want to get away from someone you can. Hell there's still a wing I've never been in and I don't plan on it any time soon."

"Well that's all fine and dandy for you but I am going to hang myself with the bed sheets if I have to endure this much longer."

Clark walked up to the table. "Isn't that a little drastic?"

"You've never lived with my cousin."

Clark just nodded and slid in next to Albert, Chloe was too engrossed in her article to notice him. "Hi Chloe." He was greeted with a nod and a grunt. "Nice to see you too."

"Shit!" Chloe cursed. drawing looks from the table's other three occupants. She had a new E-mail from Lionel demanding an audience with her.

"Problem Chloe?" Lex asked.

"No. My editor wants to see me like five minutes ago. I've got to go." SHe gathered her stuff and left quickly.

"Is it me or is she getting odder?" Clark asked.

"She's just distracted Clark. She's fine." Lex assured him, though he had his doubts.

Albert turned back to Lex. "So are you going to do it?"

"Do what?" Paris asked standing next to Clark. Albert stopped talking with a deer in the headlights look on his face. "Don't try lying Albert, because you're terrible at it. Did you have fun talking about me?"

"Peanut I think we've been spending too much time together." Albert said with more confidence because he was behind Clark and six foot four of burly farm boy should be able to keep Paris from strangling him.

"I agree."

He was trying to cover. "And you know I've been apartment hunting but it's hell in Metropolis."

"I agree."

"So you're not going to hurt me?"

"Not in public."

He turned to Lex. "Lex can I come live with you?"

"Albert I'm joking..."

She was cut off when someone spoke to her from behind. "Hey rock star."

She turned and was face to face with her ex. "What the hell could you possibly want? And have you forgotten about the matter of a restraining order?"

"Well it's September, and you know what that means."

"Damn it."

"That's right. No more restraining order. It expired and you seem to have forgotten to get it renewed."

Lex was sitting quietly in the booth, but the tick in his jaw showed that he was about to pounce.

"Well I've been a bit occupied. Let's make this simple what do you want and how did you know where to find me?"

"Do you know how out of place a new BMW looks in a farming town in Kansas? You really should try to blend better with the locals if you want to escape the past. Maybe driving a late model Toyota or some kind of off road vehicle with naked women on the mud flaps." He reached out to tuck a hair behind her ear but she swatted his arm away in the blink of an eye. He chuckled and took a step back. "Still testy I see."

"You could say that, or that I don't like to be touched by dirty things. Cut to the chase before I utilize the liberal gun laws of Kansas."

"Fine. You have something I want."

Paris crossed her arms over her chest and pretended to ponder his statement. "My money?"

He let out a forced chuckle. "Funny. No when we separated I was writing a script and I can't find it anywhere."

"Well that's because I destroyed your hard drive."

"Yeah, that was really fun to try and fix, but I had it backed up on a jump drive."

"Yeah I burned that, it may still be melted to the bottom of the pool. Isn't it a bit late to be looking for a script I erased over a year ago?"

"Well I was a bit busy with work until now."

"Meaning you got fired for punching out the head writer. People tell me things."

"Anyway I heard back from Paramount, they read the partial I sent in and want the rest."

"Sorry it's gone." She said with no emotion in her voice.

He took a step toward her, looming over her smaller form. "You had better not be lying to me."

"And if I am? What're you going to do about it?" She decided to screw with him.

Clark saw Jeremy ball up his fist, and if the expression on his face were anything to gauge his temper by he may take a swing at her so Clark decided to slide out and stand behind her. Albert and Lex slid out after him and stood next to each other, forming a wall behind her.

Jeremy took a look at the army that had assembled behind her and decided to start with Lex. "Well hey captain Piccard I thought you were dead, something about a disgruntled spouse and an airplane."

Lex chose to ignore the remark. "She doesn't have what you want so I suggest you leave Smallville and not come back."

Jeremy pretended to be wounded. "Paris are you really going to let a man speak for you? I thought you were the strong feminist type." He decided to taunt Lex some more. "I mean she's always been aggressive in bed. Still is right?"

"Jeremy if you know what's good for you, you will turn around and leave right now. Or I will let Lex beat the living crap out of you, and I know what to do with the body when he's done. You have heard of LuthorCorp fertilizers haven't you?"

"As intimidating as your little entourage is I must digress. If you and your coat tail riding cousin try to make my movie I will destroy you, bit by bit."

"You'd have to catch me first."

"Look mate I can promise you that even if that script did find it's way into mine or my cousin's possession we'd never entertain the thought of making it. Simply put you're a hack, you won't last very long without your staff."

"Well if it isn't the big bad poof come out to play. How's it going Albert?"

Lana came up. "Hey guys, what's going on here?"

"Nothing. An old friend of Paris' came to town but he was just leaving." Clark said not taking his eyes off the older man.

"Oh. Well if anyone breaks anything they're paying for it." Lana said, and walked away.

"My, my the farm boy speaks. Well Paris I see you are having your cake and eating it too."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Paris asked indignant.

"Come on, in one corner you have the billionaire playboy. Someone in the same league as you, an acceptable date for social functions, you can smile pretty for the cameras, fuck like bunnies, have long meaningful after sex conversations, and still be at work on time. And in the other corner you have the farm boy, innocent, tall, dark, almost mysterious, plus he has hair. I'm sure all the farmers' daughters are throwing themselves at his feet. You get the thrill of slumming it and the danger of being caught. And it seems to me that the two are friends. Don't choke on those little sprinkles."

Paris stepped toward him. "You have no idea how wrong you are or how dangerous it is for you to be insinuating that. Not to mention that I'm not the one who had a problem with fidelity. If you don't leave right now they will be picking you up off the floor and I'm not afraid to go to jail for killing you. I suggest you get back in your car and forget how to get here."

"Well I can tell when I'm not welcome. See ya later rock star." He gave a wave and walked out.

Paris just stared angrily at the back of his head, as if it would make him burst into flames.

After he was gone Lex walked up behind her and wrapped na arm around her waist. "Don't let him bug you."

"I know. Let's go home."

"Okay."

----Jeremy's car----

He was speeding through Smallville talking to himself. "Stupid Bitch! I can't believe she fucked me like that. Well we'll see what she has to say when I'm done with her." As if on cue there was a boulder in the road. He swerved to miss it but wound up in Crater Lake. "Oh shit!"


	20. The cost of truth

We've all seen Perry multiple times so I only used some parts in my story. If it sucks I'm sorry, but I couldn't let this story sit idle any longer.

Lex's office

Lex walked around his study, looking at the various art pieces.

"My father went for historical accuracy when he had the mansion reconstructed, but I was thinking of taking some liberties with the decor. Move away from the artifacts and the period pieces and come up with something more modern... even abstract. Any thoughts, Doctor Foster?"

"Only that I hope today's session will be more productive."

"Mmm. I believe the psychological term for, uh, refusing to accept the inevitable is denial. And no amount of probing can uncover emotional issues that don't exist."

"Now who's in denial?"

"Trust me, I have nothing to hide."

"Then tell me about the island. The fisherman who found you said you were raving about some imaginary enemy."

"I was ill, suffering from malaria."

"I saw your blood work, Lex. There was no trace of disease. But even some fictitious illness would not explain your reluctance to discuss your conflicted feelings towards your father. Until we understand that—"

"I have a hightened immune system. What I understand, Doctor, is that LuthorCorp's insurance carrier insisted that I submit to five psychiatric therapy sessions. I've submitted. And, sadly, our final hour is up. I'll miss our sessions."

Claire just left with a defeated sigh.

The Talon

"Two meteor craters, that's it. You don't want to see anything else?" Clark asked Perry as they walked in.

"Well, blown-out buildings and sinkholes are background, Clark. Now I'm looking for substance, texture. The human dimension."

Lana walked out of the backroom. "Clark, is everything all right? Pete waited for you until after ten o'clock last night."

"Nope everything's great, just helping Mr. White here around town."

"Hi. Perry White. I'd like a triple cappuccino and a couple of those glazed crullers, and an interview with Smallville's very own cover girl." Perry said as he slapped the Time magazine with Lana's picture on the cover on the counter.

Lana looked confused and mad at the same time.

"What are you doing?" Clark asked.

"It's called getting the story. Nothing fancy, Miss Lang, just a simple Q & A. You know, uh, how is little Miss Meteor coping 14 years after the big bang?"

"Maybe this is a joke to you, but my parents died that day." Lana said near tears.

"And I'm sorry, but that makes you newsworthy." With no sincerity in his voice.

"That's it, you're leaving." Clark said grabbing Perry's arm.

"WhaYou know, either she talks to me now or she faces the cameras in the morning."

"Clark, I can't believe you're with this guy!"

"Lana…" Clark tried to explain.

"Maybe you should both leave." With that Lana walked away.

"You didn't tell me Lana was part of your agenda." Clark said angrily.

"And you didn't tell me you knew her. Hey, I'm sorry if I hurt your girlfriend's feelings, but she's a legitimate source."

"No, she's not anymore."

"It doesn't work that way, Clark. I still have to find faces to put on camera."

Paris walked into the Talon and saw Clark and Perry. "Hey Clark what's up?" Glaring at Perry.

"Um nothing." Clark said nervously.

"Well I didn't know you joined the pointy aluminum hat brigade."

"Oh no I'm just taking Mr. White here around, he's doing a piece on Smallville for his show and he needs a tour guide of sorts."

"I'm familiar with the concept. Lots of middle aged guys with beer guts and a telescope screaming that they saw a UFO, it makes Jerry Springer look like masterpiece theater. Oh how the mighty have fallen." Paris said with a satisfied smile.

"My, my Stratford how did you end up here? Another billionaire banish his bad seed to corn country?"

"No not at all."

"You don't actually expect me to believe that you came here willingly." Perry said with disbelief.

"I even packed my own bags."

"What has your father had you banned from New York, or are they just as sick of you as everyone else?"

"What do you want from these people?"

"I'm just getting the story I so richly deserve."

"I thought you got what you deserved 7 years ago when you fucked with Lex."

"No Stratford that was just a bump on the highway of life. If things here go as well as planned you will be begging me to interview you."

"I hardly think that even on my worst day I would lower myself to your standards of journalism."

"You know Paris for a girl who used to revel in winding up in the cover of the Star and page six of the New York Daily Herald you've gotten mighty cocky. I do still have your Time magazine cover and many other things you may be interested in, along with a certain mutual acquaintance of ours."

"Leave Lex out of whatever scheme you're concocting."

"You don't intimidate me."

"Then you are a very stupid man. Get your 'evidence' by tonight and get the hell out of this town and away from these people."

"When are you rich kids going to learn that money doesn't get you everything you want?"

"When someone shows me the solid proof."

"I will get my interview with you one way or another."

"If you think you're going to Barbara Walters me on national television and get me to spill the deepest darkest of secrets about myself and my family then you are sorely mistaken. Because there are none."

"That's what you think."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll see, all in due time."

"Keep and eye on him Clark."

Act 1 Scene 5

Lex was sitting in his study with his eyes closed. The sound of waves in the ocean came out of the stereo. Lana put a hand on his shoulder and he grabbed it.

"Lex... I'm sorry. I'm interrupting."

"No, no. It's strange."

"When I was on the island I came to hate the roar of the ocean. Since coming back I find it's the only thing that relaxes me."

"You must think about what happened every day."

"And I'm sure you didn't come all this way to discuss that. (Lana doesn't reply.) What did you want to see me about?"

"This tabloid television reporter came by the Talon today, and he wanted to do an interview with me about the meteor shower."

"I suspect "no comment" didn't dissuade him?"

"Not really. He said he was gonna come back tomorrow, this time with a camera crew."

"And you don't want that."

"I've spent the last 14 years trying to put that day behind me, and in an instant he brought it all back. I know it's a lot to ask, but I was hoping that you might be able to do something."

"I'm surprised you didn't go to Clark with this."

"Clark's with him."

"So you want me to run him out of town?"

"I want him to stop."

"He must've been very persistent. What was his name?"

"Perry White."

"I'll make sure he never bothers you again."

After finding Perry drinking himself into a new liver at the Wild Coyote Lex deided ti was time for him to leave town.

"You know, this "get out of dodge" routine is pretty heavy-handed, even for a Luthor. Not that I'm surprised, your girlfriend tried to pull the same thing earlier today."

"When did you talk to Paris?"

"This afternoon, I ran into her in that little coffee shop. Don't you realize that I have a Constitutional right and it's entirely inappropriate for two of the most notorious of the spoiled and out of control to try and break it."

"So is ambushing a teenage girl for a sound bite. Of course, using people always came easy to you."

"You know, our one and only encounter was years ago."

"Even in boarding school, I was good at sniffing out reporters, but you played the "just a friendly conversation" card remarkably well. As I recall it was a full 10 minutes before I told you to go to hell."

"I was just doing my job, and you were a legitimate source."

"I was 16 and you were scrounging for dirt on my father."

"That's what this is really about, isn't it? Your father's secrets."

"If you really had anything on him, it would have come out then."

"If you actually believe that, I almost feel sorry for you."

"Just make sure you're on the four o'clock bus." Lex dropped Perry's bags on the ground and sped away.

"Well, so much for not drinking before five." Perry decided to not make his bus and g for a little walk, to Paris' house.

Perry walked up to Paris's door and Leaves something between the screen door and the front door. Then after ingesting more of his flask he decided to go pay his old friend Lex one last visit.

More of Lex's problems

Lex burst through the doors of his study where Claire was waiting for him.

"What the hell are you trying to do?" Lex yelled angrily.

"Lex, calm down."

"Why? You've already made up your mind about my so-called mental state." He picked up his file. "According to this you're refusing to sign off on my psychological release. In fact, you're recommending even more sessions to be continued on an indefinite basis?"

"I have an ethical obligation to report my conclusions honestly."

"Or maybe the nothing shrink from Metropolis wanted a little more face time with her celebrity patient. You must be loving this."

"I took no pleasure in my recommendation."

"Then how do you explain it?"

"I think you need help, Lex. Between the island, your failed marriage, and everything that's happened since you came to Smallville, you have experienced incredible emotional and physical trauma."

"And your prescription's more time on the couch? We just spent five sessions exploring my psyche."

"No, we spent five sessions discussing your art collection, your fascination with expensive cars, ancient swords, fossils, everything except the most traumatic moments of your life."

Lex walked over to the window staring out it.

"Lex, if you don't let your demons out, they could consume you."

"We've been over this, Doctor."

"We haven't even scratched the surface. This control freak thing might fool your father, but did you really think you could snow me? Lex, please…"

"Get out. Get out!" Claire stormed out of the study, leaving Lex unsettled.

Minutes later Perry entered the study where Lex was sitting at his desk. With a mask of composure on his face.

"When they told me you were at the gate, I could hardly believe it."

"Yeah, you and me both. I just thought we should talk."

"We have nothing to talk about."

"Oh. Sorry to hear that. Now, I guess you'll never find out what I have on your father."

"If it's personal, I don't care. If it's legal, the statute of limitations must've passed long ago."

"That depends."

"If this information is so damning, why did my father stop at simply destroying your career?"

"Multiple copies, plus multiple attorneys all with, in the event of my death, instructions to disseminatewell, you do the math. It's all yours. I just want one thing in return."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Everything you know about Clark Kent."

"Clark?"

"Yeah. Two years ago, you drove your Porsche off a bridge. I went over the police photos, Lex. There's no way you could have walked away from that crash without the miracle that is Clark Kent. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that you'd actually cultivated a friendship with this kid."

"So now you're going after Clark. This is a new low, even for you."

"The Lex I knew wouldn't shake your hand without an ulterior motive. You must have something. Give it to me, and I'll deliver you a story that'll bring new meaning to the phrase "sins of the father.""

Suddenly, Lex grabbed Perry by the jacket and pushed him roughly against the wall. "You may have been able to neutralize my father, but not me!"

"Looks like the jungle living really took a toll…"

"I'm warning you. Stay away from me, and stay away from my friends. Trust me, there won't be any blood on my hands when they find what's left of you. And tell the rest of your worthless reporter friends to stay the hell away from the Kents and Smallville all together."

Lex was panting angrily. He slowly let Perry go and backed away. Perry straightened his jacket and left the room. Lex lifted up his hand and saw that it was shaking.

Paris walked in after Perry left and saw Lex. "Lex?"

No response.

"Lex?" She walked up to him cautiously. Sees him staring at his shaking hand she reached out gently and held it. "Lex what's wrong?" She put her other hand on his cheek and he finally looked at her.

"I don't know." He answered hoarsely.

"Okay. Let's go sit down."

"No."

"No?"

"I...I might hurt you."

"Lex you won't hurt me. Lana told me about what happened before, when she came in here. Lex I think you have some un-resolved issues to work."

"Stop trying to control things!" Getting angry he grabbed her arms and slamed Paris against the wall. "I'm not crazy!"

With pain in her back her back and head from being slammed into the wall and arms where Lex was gripping her she stared at him in fear and shock.

"This is your fault!"

"Lex what's going on? Lex you're hurting me!" She tried to squirm out of his grip but he just held her tighter.

"If you had told me the truth instead of lying to me I wouldn't have spent three months alone, on an island going insane! This is your fault Paris!"

"Lex I'm sorry. I was scared, you know I'd never let anyone hurt you!"

"Well you did. You lied to me and you hurt me and no one does either of those and doesn't pay!"

"Dammit Lex let me go!"

Lex snapped out of his haze. "Oh my god. Paris I'm sorry." He let her go and backed away slowly. "I..I couldn't stop."

"Lex you need help."

"Please don't leave me."

She just stares at him and stayed braced against the wall.

The next day

Paris didn't park her car in the garage she just left it in the driveway and jogged up the front steps to the door. When she opened the screen a large manila envelope with a white letter envelope attached to it fell out. "I see Albert never got the mail today." She picked it up as she walked inside. "C'mon Cicero you probably need to go outside." She called to the dog and let him into the backyard. After taking a shower and pouring herself a drink Paris walked into her office and studied the envelope, turning it over in her hands and shaking it a few times, then sat down. "Well I guess there's only one way to find out what's inside." She took the letter envelope and opened it first. She pulled out a handwritten note that said:

'Princess.

I know your boyfriend has no interest in this but I think you might. A good reporter doesn't lie.

Perry.'

"Great. What does the illustrious Mr. White have for me now?" She put the letter down and opened the manila envelope. Inside she saw pictures of her mother and Lionel, alone, the date stamps reading 1993, the pictures showed them laughing and talking and having dinner, a few even have them kissing and walking into the building where the Luthor's penthouse is. A few audio tapes were in the envelope as well. "No." She covered her mouth in shock and horror.

The Mansion

"I'm sure you understand the need for confidentiality. I would be revealing things that are deeply personal, even hurtful." Lex said to Dr. Foster as he sat down behind his desk.

"That's the point of therapy, Lex. To regain control, let the bad feelings go, and start recovering from the traumas of the past."

"Then tomorrow, 10 AM?"

They both stood and Lex shook Claire's hand. Then Claire left.


	21. Lies my mother told me

Lex sat behind his desk across from Dr. Foster.

"Lex I must say I was quite surprised when you called me yesterday to say that you'd like to continue sessions. What prompted the change of heart?"

Lex thought for a second before speaking. "Paris actually."

"Your girlfriend?"

"Yes, but she's not just some girlfriend. I don't appreciate her being likened to some ordinary girl."

"You hold Paris in high regard?"

"The highest."

"Well what did she say to cause such a radical decision?"

"It's not something she said per-se. I was in a meeting with someone whom I particularly disdain and it got heated."

"Heated how?"

"Heated like I put him against the wall."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Anyway, I let him go. But I looked down and my hand was shaking and I couldn't stop it. Then Paris came in and tried to calm me down, she was just trying to help me." Lex stopped.

"Lex what happened?" Claire gently coaxed him.

"I grabbed her by the arms and threw her against the wall. She was trying to reason with me but I couldn't stop myself, I just held her there and yelled at her. By the time I let her go I didn't know what I was doing anymore, and she was staring at me so scared. I don't remember ever seeing her that scared before and I don't want Paris to be afraid of me. I don't want to lose control like that again. She has bruises."

"You said you couldn't stop yourself. What were you talking about that caused you to lose control?"

"She was trying to get me to sit down and just calm down. And I told her that she couldn't control everything and that it was her fault."

"Is your relationship with Paris based on a need for control on either of your parts?"

"No. We spend 90 of our time in power struggles with other people. My relationship with Paris is based on mutual respect and the want to be with the other person."

"Then why do you feel she was trying to control 'everything' as you said? And what was her fault?"

"Before Helen and I were even engaged Paris and I slept together."

"How do you feel about that decision?"

"I don't know since I don't remember making it."

"Why is that?"

"I know this is going to sound far fetched but you have my medical records. There was this parasite in the caves and it got into our systems, along with a few other people. It thrived on adrenaline and took over our personalities. One of our friends found us playing Russian roulette. Anyway, after that she was out of town for awhile and when she came back I was engaged, she was pregnant but was afraid to tell anyone."

"Why is that?"

"We haven't spent a lot of time discussing it, but when we did she said that Helen made me happy and she didn't want to stand in the way."

"What would have happened if Paris had told you the truth?"

"I don't know."

"Well you said your relationship is based on mutual respect. Would it have changed your relationship with her?"

"Paris and I have been taught from a very young age to control everything you possibly can about a situation and to manipulate everything you can't until it too is under your control. I know how Paris thinks, especially when she's scared. She had no control over being pregnant and she'd never entertain the idea of abortion but she wanted me to be happy and she also wanted to save some face. She didn't want to be the girl who got knocked up by her best friend and she also didn't want to be the one who wrecked a marriage before it even got off the ground."

"Yes, but you said that you told her that everything was her fault. What was her fault?"

"I guess unconsciously somewhere something inside me blames her for me being on that island."

"But she didn't sabotage your plane."

"No, Helen did that. Paris never liked Helen. I probably would have left Helen if I thought I could have had a life with Paris."

"You would have broken off your wedding to Helen if Paris had told you the truth?"

"Probably."

"You said that you haven't talked a lot about what happened since you got back. Whose decision was that?"

"No one ever said that the topic was off limits. She knows I know what happened. When I finally got to her in France she was an emotional and physical mess. We talked about it once the first night I was there, I forgave her. No one talks about it because we don't want to visit the what ifs."

"Is Paris still pregnant?"

"No. She was in a car accident on her way to the wedding and she miscarried."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I think you and Paris need to talk things out once and for all. You have some subconscious anger and resentment toward her that you need to work through together."

"I'll be sure to talk to her about it when I see her."

"Is Paris still living in Smallville?"

"Yes she has a house a few miles away from here. We decided that it would be best if she weren't here during my sessions."

"Why is that?"

"Because they are a private thing. We share a lot of things with each other but we also respect each other's privacy, especially where therapy is involved."

"Has Paris ever been to therapy?"

"I don't see how that is a relevant question."

"It just seemed to me that she had a lot of insight on the subject."

"Paris has spent most of her life on the couch."

"Oh."

"Don't worry, she's not going to try and kill me. She went for a little while after this summer but stopped going a few months after we got back here. When she was younger she had a lot of emotional issues to work through."

"Have you talked with her about what happened here the other day."

"No. She spent the night because I told her I didn't want to be alone but we didn't really talk, she left yesterday morning before you came. She has a key so she comes and goes as she pleases."

Claire nodded. "Will you be seeing her today?"

"I don't know. I was thinking about stopping over there later."

"That sounds like a good idea."

Paris's house later

Lex let himself into Paris's house and went looking for her. Normally he would have just bellowed at the top of his lungs but he thought it prudent to stay away from all sudden loud noises and movements for the time being.

He wandered around the first floor for a few minutes and heard the television set in her media room so he went in search of her there, an old episode of Roseanne was playing but she wasn't in there. He heard noise coming from her kitchen so he figured she must be there. When he walked in popcorn was popping in the microwave, Paris was on the counter on her knees reaching for a bowl, with the telephone in the crook of her shoulder, he didn't know who she was talking to but he decided to just observe her for a minute.

"Yeah tell me about it. I had the house designed and even I can't reach the top cabinets. I'm going to fall on my ass in a minute, so if you hear a clamor and then I'm not there call 911." She got the bowl. "Gotcha." She hopped off the counter and turned around. "Oh Jesus!" She had a shocked look on her face and dropped the phone. Lex smirked and she rolled her eyes at him while she picked up the phone. "No I'm fine, I swear. Lex just snuck up on me. Yeah I'm thinking of making him wear a bell around his neck. Alright I'll talk to you later, bye." She ended the call and placed the handset on the counter. "Hey." She said nervously, making her way over to the microwave to get the popcorn.

"Hey. Where's Albert?"

"He's still at work. I just got home about an hour ago."

"I didn't mean to sneak up on you like that, I let myself in. If that's alright." He almost whispered the last part.

Paris dropped the bag of popcorn into the bowl and turned around to face Lex. "Why wouldn't it be alright?"

"I just, the way things have been the past few days. I wasn't entirely sure."

"If I haven't revoked your key then it's alright."

"Oh, good to know."

"So how was therapy?" Paris walked back over to the large island in the middle of the kitchen and hopped up with the bowl of popcorn next to her.

Lex didn't say anything, he just walked up and stood against the counter next to her. "You know that stuff's terrible for you. Don't you have an air popper around here somewhere?"

"Yes, but I'm out of kernels for it."

"Oh. Do you want to go watch tv, I saw that it was on."

"Stop avoiding the question, if you don't want to tell me about it just say 'Paris it's none of your business' and we'll talk about something else or nothing, whatever."

"I don't like us being like this."

"Neither do I. So what happens now?"

"I don't know. But I don't want this to end and I do know we have some things to work through."

"Like?"

"Like I'm angry with you."

"Oh? Here I thought I was going to be the one getting the apology." She popped a piece of popcorn into her mouth.

"You will, just give me a minute."

"K, sorry."

"Don't apologize just listen."

She just nodded in agreement.

"You lied to me. I understand why you did it but it still hurt. I don't want you to feel like you have to keep things from me for my own good. If something big like that comes up I don't want you to try and handle it yourself and I definitely don't want you to keep it form me, especially if it involves me. That's not right and you know it. What were you planning on doing after you had the baby? How were you going to explain that?"

Paris didn't say anything, she just turned her head to the side so Lex couldn't see her and bit her lip.

"That's not going to work. Look at me Paris."

She slowly turned to face him. She took a deep breath before starting. "I found out when I came back here. I was happy and scared at the same time I planned on telling you, I really did. But I ran into Lionel and he told me about you and Helen."

"That's no excuse."

"No it's not, now be quiet and let me explain. When I found out you two were engaged I was hurt and angry. I also knew I couldn't tell you, she hated me and we would have never been the same again. I didn't want to be yet another obligation in your life."

"Paris I never would have..."

"Yes you would, you loved her, or at least you thought you did. I saw you completely change for her, don't think that I wouldn't have been one of the changes she would have had you make. I knew I couldn't ruin your life like that and I wasn't about to be taken down either. I wasn't particularly nice to you the week or so before the wedding."

"No you weren't."

"Let's be real, I was a bitch. I was trying to separate myself from you. I didn't want you to want me around or miss me after I left."

"You were planning on leaving?" Lex was shocked and angry.

"Yes I was. I know it was wrong but I didn't want to stick around here and watch you and her and have a child stuck in the middle of it all. It wouldn't have been right."

"Where were you planning on going?" Lex softened his voice.

"France, maybe Italy. And I wasn't going to come back." The softness in Paris's voice matched Lex's.

"You would have done that to me?" Lex asked, hurt.

Paris dropped her chin to her chest and mumbled. "Iwasn'tdoingittoyouIwasdoingitforyou."

"I didn't hear what you said."

Her head snapped up and she looked him in the eye. "I wasn't doing it to you I was doing it for you." She said it a little more harsh than she planned.

Lex looked at her dumbfounded. "How could you leaving keeping my child away from me possibly have been 'for me'?" He asked coldly.

"Well besides Helen hating me there would have been that little bump I like to call Malcolm and Lionel. If you think things were dysfunctional before they could have gotten a whole lot worse. They would have pulled a divide and conquer on us and you know it. None us would have made it through that intact, I couldn't watch that happen to you again. Putting an innocent child in the middle of that would have been the most amoral thing in the world and you know that."

"I can't disagree with you there. But I wouldn't have let them do that and I know you wouldn't either. We would have just had to out smart them."

"Yes because that's worked so well for us in the past. It was easier for me to take on the burden myself than to drag you through the mud with me."

Lex opened his mouth to say something but shut it just as quick, knowing she was right. Instead he moved and stood between her legs put his hands on her hips. "I don't ever want you to take on the burdens of the world just to save me some discomfort. I'd swear that you think you're a super hero sometimes." He smiled gently.

"Yeah right, Paris the Amazing Fuck up. With the ability to make bad situations worse."

"Don't say things like that. You're one of the smartest people I know. You just got caught up in a bad situation that got worse. You never had time to get your head above water."

"I'm sorry I lied to you. If I knew what she had planned I would have told you the truth right away."

"Hind sight is 20/20." Lex quipped, Paris smiled at him. "So you actually thought you could disappear from my life and I'd never find you?"

"Maybe. Maybe I was in some sort of weird denial, who knows anymore." Paris reached up and scratched her shoulder, drawing Lex's attention to her arms. She had worn a sweatshirt to bed the night before and they were covered by clothes but he knew what was under there. He started to unzip her hoodie, she tried to stop him but he gently batted her hand away. After he finished unzipping the hoodie he slowly pushed it off her shoulders, letting it fall to just below her elbows. There were bruises encircling each of her arms. They were a light reddish purple color that stood out from the natural glow of her skin. They weren't as bad as Lex had feared but they were still there and that scared him because he knew that he did it. And he wasn't under the influence of Kryptonite or anything else, although he didn't exactly have control at that point, he still felt guilty beyond belief. He slowly bent down and gingerly kissed the bruised areas then he straightened and looked into Paris's eyes. She could see fear, sincerity and unshed tears in his beautiful blue/grey ones. "I'm sorry about what happened the other day. You know I would never purposely hurt you and I'm sorry that it happened. It will never happen again. Please don't give up on me."

"I know it won't happen again and I would never give up on you." She looked at him with the same sincerity.

"When I was on that island the only thing that kept me alive was my want to see you again. I promised myself that if I ever made it off that island I would spend the rest of my life with you because you were the only woman I ever wanted to be with again. And when I got home my father told me what happened, I was mildly upset but I was more concerned for you than anything. Then when I was in the office with Perry I lost it and he made this crack about jungle living changing me."

"Jerk."

Lex's voice started to crack and he had to fight to keep on track. "Then you came in and I was so mad at you. If you had told me the truth I don't think I would have married Helen and I wouldn't have spent the summer on that island. I'm sorry I blamed you it's not right you were only doing what you thought was best."

Paris just nodded in agreement, not sure of what to say. "I'm the only person you want to be with for the rest of your life?"

"For ever and ever. I know we said we'd go slow but that's how I feel. I lost you once and you lost me once and I'm not going to let that happen again."

"I like that plan. I love you."

"I love you too." Lex buried his face in her chest and hugged her tightly around the waist. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and tucked his head under her chin. They sat there for awhile, Lex breathing deeply and trying to steady himself and Paris comforting him and feeling secure in his embrace.

Later that night

After dinner Lex and Paris spent the rest of the night making up for lost time over the past few days. Paris knew she'd be sore in the morning but knew Lex would probably be a little too, she'd absolutely exhausted him and she was proud of herself for that. But she still couldn't sleep the pictures of her mother and Lionel and the question 'Why' were nagging at the back of her mind.

'Damn them. Why did they have to do something so stupid and should I tell Lex about it?' She thought angrily to herself as she traced patterns on Lex's bare chest with the pads of her fingers. 'Doesn't matter. I have him back and that's all that matters right now.' She moved so she could lay her head on his chest and listen to his heart beat. It was no use, she was never going to get any sleep, she got up, threw her robe over her naked body and got a bottle of water from the kitchen and went to her office.

She got the manila envelope out of her closet safe and threw it on her desk. It sat there defiantly and she sat in her chair glancing from her e-mail, to the envelope to the phone. She wanted to call Perry and ask him why he'd sent her the pictures and she wanted to call Lionel and rip him a new one, she wanted to rage at someone. She grabbed a lighter out of her desk drawer and then grabbed the envelope. She flipped the top of the Zippo open and held it to the corner of the envelope with her thumb on the lighter. She intended to light the envelope on fire and throw it in her fireplace and forget anything ever happened. In her mind all she could see were pictures of her mother and Lionel. She was mad at her mother more than Lionel though, 'he's a man men are pigs, she should have known better. She had an affair with Lionel and left me with my father. At least now I know why my dad hates Lionel.' Paris had always held her mother to a higher standard than most people because she had always wanted to be like her mother, now she wasn't sure what to think anymore. She sighed, defeated, closed the lighter and put the envelope back in the safe.

She padded silently into her bedroom, threw her robe on the foot of the bed and slipped in next to Lex.

Lex was only half asleep, he'd gotten up to go to the bathroom earlier and realized that she wasn't in bed with him, but decided to not go looking for her figuring that if she wanted to talk to him she would have woken him up, but when he felt the bed shift he woke up again. She was curled up on the other side of the bed facing away from him and she never slept like that. He slid over and wrapped his arm around her waist. "It's nice of you to come back to bed. I was beginning to think you just used me for sex." He moved her hair out of the way so he could nuzzle her neck.

Paris wasn't in the mood to have anyone lavishing attention on her in any way shape or form so she shrugged him off without saying anything.

"Hey what's wrong? I thought we were okay."

"We are, I just." She stopped and let out a frustrated sigh.

"You're what?"

Paris pulled the covers up with her as she sat up, she hugged her knees to her chest and rested her chin on top staring straight ahead and not over at Lex, who was quite perplexed. "What would you do if you found out something about someone you look up to, admire even. Then something damming comes to light that blows your entire image of them. Makes you question everything you knew or ever thought you knew about them."

He put a hand on the small of her back to comfort her. "Do I know this person who you're talking about?"

She turned to face him. "It doesn't matter. Don't try and figure out who it is because that'll taint your answer."

"Okay. How close are you to this person?"

"Very, and stop trying to figure out who."

"Fine. Okay. What do you want to do with the information you found out?"

"I don't want to do anything. I want it gone. It answers a few questions but that's it. There is nothing to be gained here, by anyone. It won't fix anything it can only mess things up way worse than they already are."

"Did you go looking for this information?"

"No, it was sent to me by a courteous third party."

"How nice of them."

"Yeah."

"Would it do you any good to let someone else know what you know?"

"Probably not. Anyone who knew before me certainly didn't want me to find out and I don't think anyone else would care. But I'm not willing to take that risk, not now."

"Then I think you should contact whoever gave you the information and ask them why they thought it was so important that you know."

Paris shrugged. "Maybe. I just wish I didn't know. Ignorance is bliss, I like bliss."

"I know. The joke of the whole thing is you can spend your entire life looking for answers to the most burning questions and never find the answers. Then one day after you've stopped looking and don't care anymore they're all answered for you and the truth just..."

"Sucks."

"For lack of a better word, yes the truth sucks."

"But it's all part of growing up right?"

"That's a lie that our parents told us to make us feel better about the harsh realities of life."

"They told us a lot of lies."

"That they did."

"Let's stop talking about our parents, it's unsettling when I'm sitting in bed with you naked."

"That it is indeed."

"So what'd we decide?"

"Don't let anyone involved know that you know but ask the person who gave it to you why."

"Ok."

Lex leaned in a placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"What was that for?"

"No reason. I'm just not going to miss any opportunities to touch you ever again."

"Oh well if that's the case." She reached over and placed her hands on his shoulders, letting the sheet slip from her body, and pushed him down against the mattress and crawled on top of him.

"My, my Stratford quite the aggressor..." She cut him off with a forceful kiss.


	22. Running

No one who mattered knew where Lucas Dunleavy, er Luthor depending on your perspective, was and that's how he wanted it. Lex had set Lucas up in a nice, safe apartment in Bay City, just outside Boston. It was quiet, no night clubs, no backroom high stakes poker games, needless to say Lucas was bored but he knew Lex was doing what was needed so he dealt with it. He got daily e-mails from both Lex and Paris and phone calls almost every other day from both, sure he was a perfect jerk to Paris when he first met her but after a boot to the jaw and they all worked together to make Lionel look like a jerk the two formed a friendship. Since there was nothing to do, well nothing Lucas usually did anyway, he managed to save almost all of the money Lex sent him leaving him with a nice nest egg just incase anything ever happened. And that day did happen. When he heard it on the radio he didn't believe it, no one the car radio ever knows what the hell they're talking about anyway. So as soon as he got home he turned on the TVand it was everywhere, Plane Crash, Lex Luthor Missing, Luthor Heir Presumed Dead. Days later the bereaved widow was on TV telling her account of the tale, he saw right through the bitch, Lex was dead and she was responsible. Then the phone calls and e-mails from his last real tie to the outside world stopped coming, he'd heard rumors that she was in some kind of car accident and was in bad shape. He knew that the security he'd been enjoying over the past few months was gone, because there was no way in hell Lionel Luthor was going to help him out again, not after what they did to him, and even if he would there was no way lucas was ever going to truth the bastard again. So Lucas did what he did best, packed his bags, loaded the car and ran.

He couldn't go back to edge city, or anywhere near the Midwest for that matter, he'd wind up on too many people's radar too quickly. So he drove up the coast to Gotham. It was more like the places he was used to living in, and a far cry from the calm of Bay City. And if all else failed he'd get to see a guy in a black leather bat suit, and there was no way he was going to pass that up. He'd gotten himself set up in an apartment in a nicer part of the city, not the Gold Coast but definitely not the slums. He wanted to make the bitch who killed his brother pay for what she did, she took away the only sense of security that he'd ever had and no one got away with that. He'd been laying low plotting his quiet revenge for months when the biggest break ever fell into his lap. He was in a bar one night in late August when she just walked through the door, if he hadn't known better he would have said it was a little too coincidental, but he was sure she had no idea who she was. When she slid up the bar next to him he had to contain himself from strangling her right then and there.

He turned to her and took in her appearance, a little thin, there were bags under her eyes, all in all she looked tired. "You look like you've had a rough day." He needed to gain her trust and keep her close so he could then destroy her.

"Yeah well I just got out of a bad marriage." Lucas had to keep himself from snorting in laughter at her. She retrieved a cigarette form her purse but couldn't find a lighter. "You wouldn't happen to have a lighter would you?" Lucas reached into his pocket and produced a lighter, then proceeded to light her cigarette for her. "You look a little young to be in here. What's your story?"

"Family issues."

"Running away from home?"

"Sort of." He took a sip of his drink. He felt bad for what he was about to do but knew it had to be done. "Look I have a car outside and a place not too far away. Whadda say?"

"I'd say you're a little young for me, but that'd be dumb." She knew exactly who he was and exactly what she wanted from him and she was not going to pass it up if he was going to be dumb enough to let her in.

After a few nights of "coincidentally meeting" up at the same bar at the same time and winding up in bed back at his place they formed an uneasy partnership that was getting better. She trusted him, he was almost certain, and he trusted her, she assumed. Neither had any inclination what the other had planned.

They conveniently wound up back in Metropolis a few weeks after Lex and Paris both came home for good. Lucas was apprehensive at first but knew that if he objected he'd send a red flag up to Helen, who had told him her name was Katherine. So he went along with her knowing that at least he'd be able to make sure she didn't try to kill Lex again. They laid low, making sure no one who ever knew them before had any inkling they were there. Which was becoming increasingly hard to do because he'd seen Paris around town a few times and had to haul ass out of sight ASAP without drawing attention to himself. He didn't know why his brother chose to marry Helen, the psychotic bitch, while he had Paris around but that was a conversation for another time. Plus Lex had his security detail out looking for him again, not only in Metropolis but every other city Lucas had ever lived in, making it hard to do just about anything. For now it was a waiting game, he was waiting for her to screw up somehow and she was waiting for the right time to put her plan into action. Whatever happened Lucas was going to make sure that there was no chance in hell of her hurting any one o them ever again.


	23. Picture Proof

It's amazing how the simplest most common event can lead turn into a life altering experience but that's just what happened one fateful week in Kansas to two young lovers.

The news----

Lex was driving home from LuthorCorp headquarters in Metropolis, he and his father just had their now weekly business lunch. That's when Lionel told Lex the news. LuthorCorp was holding a charity even on Saturday and Lex's presence was mandatory to say the least. "Dad are you sure about this? I mean I'm still re-acclimating to corporate life." Lex tried to gracefully lie his way out of the situation, he didn't want to go, he just wanted to finish getting back to his normal life. Well as normal as life gets in Smallville but normal for him at least.

Lionel chuckled and shook his head in dismissal. "Nonsense son. You are stronger and more productive then ever. Besides you are at the forefront of the new generation of LuthorCorp, shouldn't our public know you?"

"You're under the impression that the public isn't aware of me?" Les said raising an eyebrow.

Lionel just smiled ruefully. "Lex you know what I am saying. You are a Luthor and as part of LuthorCorp you are expected to come to these events, I'm sorry but it is mandatory. No questions asked no deals to be made." Lionel shrugged.

Lex let out a sigh. "Fine." He knew fighting Lionel on this matter would be both frustrating and fruitless.

"Oh I'm sure you and Paris will have a lovely time. Besides if you two get too bored there are plenty of things to do in Metropolis."

Paris, shit he had completely forgotten about Paris, she hated these events. Not because she hated charity, she was all for charities she just had no use for the galas and dinners. People with unlimited funds patting themselves on the back for giving a few dollars to the less fortunate just left a bad taste in her mouth. Paris was going to skin him alive if he dragged her to this dog and pony show. "We'll see."

"Has she told Malcolm that you two are dating again?"

"What she tells her father is her business." In other words 'no'. Was all he said on the subject as they finished their lunch with meaningless chit chat about the company and world affairs. Now Lex was going to have to tell Paris that they were going to a charity event this weekend and she had to go because he had to go, as decreed by Lionel himself. Well he didn't have to tell her right away it could wait until after dinner, definitely until later that evening, he could tell her when they were in bed. No one argues in bed, right? He was most certainly going to tell Paris sometime between dinner and tomorrow morning. Why did this have to be such an ordeal? He should just be able to tell her what they were doing Saturday night and not have any argument about it. Lex mentally chuckled at the thought of him dominating his relationship with Paris. Paris was a lot of things but easily manipulated and ordered around were most certainly not on the list. Hence starting her own company. Lex was nowhere near pussy whipped, well maybe, okay so a little bit he'd admit to a little bit. Oh well, they'd find a compromise somewhere he just had to make sure he lived to find it. After Lex pulled into the garage he headed straight for his office to finish his office to finish some work he hadn't finished before going to Metropolis that morning. When he walked in the door connecting the garage to the house Cicero nearly knocked him down, because he was happy to see Lex and wanted to play, Cicero being over meant that Paris was in the house. How had he missed seeing her car? 'Damn! I thought I had more time,' Lex thought as he walked to his office, followed by Cicero. When Lex walked into his office he saw Paris sitting on the floor of the upper library, Indian style, surrounded by books, her lap top, and a notebook, talking on her cell phone. He walked up the stairs and leaned against the railing, waiting for her to finish up. Cicero came up to him with a toy in his mouth, Lex complied and threw it across the room so the dog could fetch. He liked listening to her conversations, they were usually happier than his.

"She did not say that in the middle of Harvard Law!" Paris said with a laugh. "Alright well Lex is home so I'll call you back later. Alright Mack, love you too. Bye." She snapped the cell phone shut and chuckled. "Hi." She said brightly to Lex, with a smile.

"Hello." Lex stopped to think for a minute. "You say 'I love you' to Mackenzie?'"

"Have since forever. It doesn't bother you does it?"

"No I just never thought about it before. So you do love her?"

"Yes, but not in the same way I love you. Mack's my best friend, I love her like a sister."

"And me?" He teased.

"I love you in a way that I couldn't imagine sharing with anyone else. Well accept a couple choice directors, a producer or two…" She trailed off, giving him a playful smile.

Lex's features brightened a bit. "Alright I guess that'll do. Can I ask what's so funny?" He said with a smirk.

She smiled and laughed. "They were discussing the legality of banning gay marriage in Mack's legal ethics class, which is a contradiction of terms to begin with. Anyway this girl says 'Like it matters guys won't use it anyway. All men are afraid of commitment.' Mack said her professor almost had a heart attack."

Lex gave a light hearted laugh. "So what's going on up here? I looks like you were attacked by the stacks."

Cicero came back with the now slobbery toy and dropped it at Paris' side waiting for her to throw it, which she did. It went over the railing landing straight across the room. "I was just doing some historical research. Thanks to your father's obsessive compulsive need to know everything about everything you have a more extensive collection of history than the New York Public Library."

"Well he's not all bad all the time."

"Lex Luthor that sounds almost like a compliment." She said with fake astonishment.

"Don't let it get out. It'll ruin my street cred."

"I wouldn't dare." She said with a wink.

"So are you writing something?"

"Yes."

"Don't you have a research department to do fact finding?"

"I do, but I prefer handling some things myself."

"Are you going to let me read it when you're done?"

"Maybe." Paris said nonchalantly.

Truth be told Lex wasn't surprised that she would hesitate to let him read what she wrote. Her letting him read and judge her script would be very intimate and raw. She respected his opinion more than anyone's and the thought of his criticism frightened her to no end. He remembered finding her journal once in high school and reading it, she walked in on him doing it and had a conniption fit, she almost broke up with him right then and there. He couldn't blame her, if he caught someone reading his most private thoughts and feelings he would have destroyed them. They had to write poems for class once and their teacher's nominated certain ones to be read aloud at an assembly, Paris' was chosen and she refused to read it. Lex didn't know at the time but later she told him that she wrote the poem about him and didn't think anyone else deserved to hear it. "So I see you have set up your office here. You know you can use your old one instead of sitting on the floor. I'd imagine it's more comfortable."

"Do you ever need to leave your work space to get actual work done?"

"Sometimes. But I usually go to the talon."

"Well today I was feeling restless and needed to get out of my office. You are okay with me being here when you're not, right?"

"Of course. I was just letting you know that you can set your office back up if you'd like."

"Thanks."

"Well I have some work to do before dinner so I'll get to that."

"What time is it?"

"Almost 6:00."

"Wow, I lost track of time."

Lex gave her a quick kiss that spoke promises of things to come and then headed back down the stairs. He got half way down before she called his name.

"Oh Lex."

He stopped and turned around. "Yes?"

"Can you come back up here?"

"Sure." He complied and went back up to where she was, completely unaware of the trap he was walking into.

"When were you going to tell me that we were going to a LuthorCorp charity function in Metropolis this weekend?"

Lex opened his mouth to say something but closed it quickly, not knowing what to say. "How…who told you?"

"Your phone rang and I answered it. Your father's secretary called to see if we would be arriving in the same limousine as your father. I told her I'd ask you when you got home." She looked at him expecting an answer.

Lex put up his hands in surrender. "He just told me about it today, I swear."

"I believe you."

"And we have to go."

She shook her head 'no'. "I'm not going."

"You have to."

"Oh really." She crossed her arms over her chest and waited for an explanation. "Please clarify your command."

"I have to be there and I can't arrive alone. Besides he already told people we were going."

"Ugh. Please Lex. Come on! You actually expect me to behave myself in a room full of self righteous hypocrites. People who pat themselves on the back for donating a few thousand dollars to charity when they make millions by exploiting the non-existent labor laws of third world countries. Besides all those creepy old business guys have been hitting on me since I was 15."

"Not all of them are like that."

"Okay, I'll go willingly if you can name 5."

He thought for a minute before giving up. "I'm not." He gave her a look of innocence and hope, one he would never admit to using even under the most horrible torture.

She softened. "Fine. When do we leave?"

"Saturday morning."

"Friday night. I'll meet you at the penthouse after I leave the studio."

"Friday?"

"Yeah we're spending the weekend in Metropolis and I don't mean a working weekend. We haven't had a real weekend together since we got back here. We are spending Friday to Sunday night together, no cell phones, no e-mail, no fax machines. And, this may hurt me more than it hurts you but no computers. We're going out for dinner Friday and we're going to a Sharks game Sunday."

"I can try to reconcile myself with the fact that you've outlawed all forms of 20th century communications technology, especially since you'll probably break out into a cold sweat when I take your cell phone away, but It's only pre-season."

"Yeah well they're playing the Titans and we all know how I feel about the Titans. I'd really like to go."

"Your father owns the team, aren't you required to like them?"

"And yours owns the Sharks. Think of the PR." She gave him a mischievous smile. "Pwease Lexy." She gave a pout.

Lex knew he'd been had and he was getting off pretty light with a weekend in Metropolis and a football game in exchange for a few hours of mind numbing torture at a society charity event, well at least there would be an open bar. "Fine." He crouched down to give her another kiss. "You Ms. Stratford are a very tough negotiator." He said as he leaned in.

"Let's just say I learned from the best." She grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him on the floor on top of her.

Their kiss was cut short when Cicero dropped his wet slobbery toy on Lex's neck. "Oh gross." Lex groaned as he detangled himself from Paris and dried off his neck with his sleeve.

Paris was giggling so he tossed the toy at her. "Ewwww." She squealed then threw it across the room where it bounced off a wall and landed with a splat.

The Weekend----

Friday night started off with a candle lit dinner at the most exclusive restaurant in Metropolis. Chez Francoise, it had a revolving dining room that overlooked the Metropolis skyline. They sat in a private area away from the rest of the patrons, and any possible reporters, or even worse paparazzi, that may be lurking about trying to expose them. They had decided to go public with their relationship on Saturday night. At least they'd have some fun at the charity event. Plus there'd be no way to get through the press line without doing so. After dinner they went club hopping until the wee hours of the morning.

Saturday, for the most part, was spent sleeping off the night before, with some bedroom activities intermixed. Finally it was time to go.

Lex was waiting in the foyer of the penthouse impatiently looking at his watch, they were supposed to be half way to the dinner by now. "Paris let's go!"

"Hasn't anyone ever told you that the CEO's son and his girlfriend are supposed to arrive fashionably late?" Paris asked as she appeared in the entryway.

Lex's jaw dropped when he saw her. She was wearing a dark plum, floor length, backless silk dress with a deep v-neck and spaghetti straps that criss-crossed over her back. To add to the enjoyment the slit on the left side went from floor to hip. Her hair was down in curls, perfectly framing her face and shoulders. "Oh my…" Lex stopped. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." Paris walked over and gave him a kiss, thanks to her heels they were just about eye level.

Lex helped her with her coat and they were on their way. Thank god for stretch limos and drivers because Lex could barely keep his eyes off Paris, let alone his hands. But they had to restrain themselves until after the evening was done.

As soon as they got out of the limo the press corps surrounded them. Shouts of "Mr. Luthor, Paris, over here." Could barely be heard over the clicks of cameras as he stood with Paris. He finally found the one reporter he could count on to ask him the question of the evening. "Mr. Luthor, Anastasia Merriwether of the Daily Planet. All of Metropolis wants to know, now you have been spotted all around town with the fetching Paris Stratford, are you two a couple or not?"

Lex pretended to give the question some thought. "Well Anastasia there's only one way to answer that question." That said Lex slid his arms around Paris' waist, pulling her close to him. She slid her arms around his neck and they kissed passionately in front of the press for all to see. The reporters went nuts, flash bulbs went off and people were scrambling to get their attention. When they were done they rested their foreheads together and smiled.

"That was fun." Paris whispered against his mouth.

"I know." Lex answered with a smile. "C'mon let's go inside."

"Alright."

They went inside leaving behind the throng of reporters shouting questions their way.

They made it through the dinner unscathed. Unfortunately for Paris' dress it did not fare so well during the second limo ride, nor did Lex's shirt. After getting home at an almost reasonable hour from the dinner they spent the rest of the night in bed.

Sunday for the most part was relaxing. They got up around 10:00 and took the limo to the football game and enjoyed their view from the owners box.

Monday evening: The Aftermath----

Malcolm and Lionel sat across from each other on the sofas in Lex's study. Malcolm's face was fixed in a hard angry stare while Lionel smirked at him.

"I don't know what you think this is going to accomplish Malcolm. You said it yourself, Paris does what Paris wants and there's no reasoning with the girl. You can't fight nature." Lionel sat back and chuckled.

"This situation is nothing to be amused with Lionel. I will put a stop to this so fast they won't even remember that they know each other. Do you understand me?"

"What I understand old chum, is that you are making a complete and utter ass out of yourself. No matter how much you hate the thought of the names Luthor and Stratford being linked romantically or in the press for that matter, you are not going to be able to stop this." Lionel let out a chuckle.

"Who's stopping what dad?" Lex asked as he walked into the room with Paris.

"Malcolm actually, he seems to have some kind of aversion to you two dating." Lionel said as he stood up.

Lex walked over to the bar to get a drink for himself and Paris.

"Well dad, I heard you stormed the castle walls with all your horses and men but I had no idea you were hell bent on sabotaging my happiness." Paris said dryly. "Then again this is you we're talking about. I swear you have us mixed up with some Shakespearian play. Just remember, in Shakespeare everyone goes crazy and dies."

Malcolm stood up and walked over to Paris, who was leaning against Lex's desk. "When exactly did you lose your mind?"

"What, do you want like a date or something? Cause I'd start looking somewhere around 1995." She said dryly. Lex had to stifle a laugh across the room.

"Paris, when were you planning on telling me about this?" He shoved a copy of the Daily Planet at her with the headline 'Happy couple has a night on the town'. "Or this." He handed her the sports page of the New York Post with a picture of her and Lex in the owner's box at the Sharks Stadium.

She took the paper and pretended to study the pictures. "Well this picture isn't exactly my best. They caught me by surprise, and that's my bad side. And this one, well I'd only had a few hours of sleep."

"I didn't know you had a bad side." Lex said handing her a glass.

"I don't really. But look honey we made the society page." She said with mock enthusiasm and then put the paper in the desk behind her.

"Be serious, both of you! I am referring to the headline. You two can't be serious about dating."

"Give it up dad. A: I let you and Lionel ruin us six years ago, I'm not going to make that mistake again. And B: If it weren't for Lex I'd still be in France drinking my way through the wine cellar. So instead of berating me you should be thanking him."

"Look, Malcolm I know you and my father don't get along but I don't think Paris and I should continue to pay the price for your mistakes. My father is taking this surprisingly well, and I suggest you do the same."

"Well Malcolm I think they've made themselves clear. Why don't you just give it up?"

"You stay out of this Lionel! You have done enough to destroy my family. I won't let you do any more damage!"

"Dad what's he talking about?" Lex asked, clueless.

"Don't fucking lecture anyone about destroying families dad! You were just as bad and I have proof!"

"Will someone in this room please tell me what the hell is going on?" Lex was losing his patience.

"You only know what you've dreamed up in your head. I know the truth."

"No dad you know your warped version of something that doesn't even remotely resemble the truth. Let's take a field trip to my house to see the real truth."

They followed her out of the room and took their respective cars to Paris' residence. They were all standing in Paris' private office, she came out of the closet juggling a large box and an envelope.

"Do you know what's in here dad?" She asked as she dropped the box on her desk. "This is chronological proof that you never loved my mother. And that she isn't the only one who had been unfaithful. In fact she was the last one, after a long history of infidelity on your part." She opened the box and started throwing pictures out on the desk, all of Malcolm with different women during his marriage to Yvonne. "Tell me I imagined these too."

He picked a few up and paled. "Where did you get these?" He asked astonished.

"Mum left them to me. She left them with Grandpere and I was given them on my 20th birthday. Not that I didn't know of your infidelities before hand."

"Well dad you've been conspicuously quiet during whatever the hell they're talking about. Maybe you could fill in the blanks." Lex said looking up from the collage littering Paris' desk top.

Lionel swallowed hard before starting. "Malcolm is referring to an affair. Paris I'm sorry. I know how much your mother meant to you I never wanted to ruin your memory of her."

"Well that's comforting." Paris said sarcastically.

"Dad you had an affair with Mrs. Stratford! Was this before or after mom died?" Lex was upset.

"After son, and I'm sorry both of you had to find out this way."

"No Lionel you're sorry they found out at all. You wanted my daughter to think I was lying to her just to be spiteful and you didn't want your son's image of you to be blown anymore than it already is."

"I already knew." Paris opened the folder and put some of the pictures on the desk. "I found out a few weeks ago."

"Who told you?" Lionel asked.

"An admirer of mine and an enemy of yours." She answered cryptically.

"Well there's half of the United States and most of the countries in the U.N." Lex said sarcastically. "There was only two years between mom's death and Mrs. Stratford's. It didn't take you very long did it! I can't believe we've been paying for something you did! But then again that's par for the fucking course!"

"It wasn't like that son I assure you. Yvonne had come to me for some help, she and Malcolm were thinking about divorcing and she wanted my help ensuring that she was protected legally. One thing led to another and we developed a relationship. I'm sorry Lex but it's ancient history. This shouldn't effect you and Paris any further."

"No you're right about that Lionel, and it won't, not anymore! Dad I'm not letting you win this round." Paris crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. "Mom may have slept with Lionel but she only did it because of what you did to her."

Malcolm turned to face Lionel. "My wife never would have filed for divorce if she had not gone to see you."

"Be real Malcolm. She was too good for you. You never treated her the way she deserved. The only reason you didn't want a divorce is because she was entitled to over half of your net worth."

Lex turned to Paris. "You never told me your parents got a divorce."

"That's because it was never finalized. When we found out mum was sick they decided to drop it." She turned to Malcolm and stared him in the eye. "After all you can't divorce someone when they're in the middle of chemo. It's bad PR. Isn't that right dad?"

"Paris!" Malcolm was angry.

Paris was sufficiently riled up, she started pacing and talking with her hands. "What? Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me that you and mum decided to stay married because you begged her forgiveness for cheating on her for so long and she for some inexplicable reason forgave you."

"I can't."

"That's right, you can't. You slept with half the women from Metropolis to London and you had the gall to use my mother's illness in order to avoid a messy divorce and bad PR!"

"Paris stop this right now. You don't understand what you're talking about." Malcolm warned her in a last ditch effort to regain some control of the situation.

Paris started shaking with anger. "I don't understand what I'm talking about? How dare you say that. You weren't around ever, not before she was sick, not during her treatment, and definitely not after she died. You were always away on business, or another woman. She was sick and you left her alone in that penthouse with the staff. I came home every weekend, and I even stayed there during most weeks to be with her. Bet you didn't know that did you? I hardly went to class that entire semester, I did all my work from home. The only time I left the house was when she made me. She was sick, and dying, and scared and the only person who actually took care of her, that loved her was her was a teenage kid! The only time you came home was during that last week. Guess what, being home to hold someone's hand while they die does not make up for being absent for the year leading up to that moment, or the fourteen years before that." Tears were in her eyes but she refused to cry.

"I will not stand here and submit to a character attack by you. You're not old enough to understand marriage or anything else life has to throw at you. You are a child."

Paris pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed in frustration. "I understand a lot more than you think. Like the fact that two weeks before mum died you were supposed to be in Japan on business when in fact you were in Italy with a woman named Linda." She looked between Lex and Lionel. "For everyone who is foreign to the concept of Linda I'll give you the Cliff's Notes version." She pulled the Linda file and threw it on the desk. "Linda is a woman whom my father has been having an affair with for the last twenty years. She's his mistress, who has been living comfortably in Tuscany, paid for by none other than dear old dad."

"How did you know where I was? Who told you about her?" Malcolm asked in a low angry tone.

"Mum, before she died. She wanted me to know who you really were. As for knowing where you were. I called your office looking for your number in Japan because you had conveniently forgotten to leave it for me in case something happened. Your secretary told me where you really were. She thought I knew you were in Italy. I didn't want to tell mum because she was so sick but she made me. Do you know what it's like to have to tell your mother, the only person in the world who you love and trust and who feels the same way about you that her 'loving' husband is with another woman? To have to tell her that while she's lying in a bed with god knows what dripping into her arm, dying? That's when she told me about Linda, the sick thing is she wasn't even surprised, hell she wasn't even sad. She wanted me to know what kind of heartless bastard you really are. That's when she gave me the best piece of advice ever."

"And that would be?"

"Never marry a man who cares more about the bottom line than his family. Because in the end all you're left with is stuff and no real marriage is based on material possessions."

"You know what Paris, I'm tired of this argument. You want the truth? Fine here's the truth. I loved your mother but I never wanted to marry her, I had to." Lex and Lionel were both shocked at what Malcolm just said.

Paris to say the least was speechless, almost. "Excuse me."

"The only reason I married your mum is because we found out she was pregnant with you."

"It was 1979, shotgun weddings went out with poodle skirts and sock hops."

"Not in our families, people with our standing didn't share joint custody of children unless they were divorced. So there you have it. I never wanted to marry your mother and it goes without saying that I never wanted a family."

"Well this is just great. You have made my life hell for the past twenty-three years because you couldn't keep your pants on!" Paris white knuckled the back of her chair. The room fell silent as everyone gathered their thoughts and digested the information. Paris leaned off the chair and crossed her arms over her chest, when she spoke her voice was barely above a whisper, she. "Do you have any other kids?"

"What?" Malcolm asked surprised.

"Do you have any more kids?" She asked more forcefully. "I think it's a reasonable question!"

"No." His tone was short and clipped.

"Are you sure?" She asked snidely

"Yes I'm sure…"

She cut him off, "Well I was just making sure, since I was such a surprise and all. I just wanted to make sure there weren't any little Stratford mistakes running around out there wondering who their father is. We surely don't want another situation like the one with Lucas now do we?" She shot a glare Lionel's way after the last sentence. Truth be told she had a soft spot for Lucas but she wanted to make this as painful as possible for Lionel and her father.

"Paris we may have our disagreements but I never said you were a mistake…"

"You didn't have to dad. I can read the subtext as clearly as anyone else." She said flatly. "And you." She glared at Lionel. "I'm in no way pleased with your hand in this whole conspiracy and I think it goes without saying that we are far from pleasant territory."

"I wouldn't imagine anything less." Lionel looked over to Lex. "Son you've been pretty silent during this whole ordeal, surely you have another log to throw onto the fire."

"No I'm pretty well set where I'm at dad."

"Paris what do you want?" Malcolm asked tiredly.

"Excuse me."

"What do you want? What do you hope to gain from this inquisition?"

"I don't want anything. I proved my point."

"That being?"

"You're both hypocrites and liars and you don't get to tell us what to do anymore, period. From this day forward the little Greek tragedy playing in your minds is over! We will date and do whatever we damn well please and I don't expect to hear a peep from either of you. Ever!"

"Fine have it your way. It doesn't matter because in the end neither of you is capable of having a real relationship with another person. Not the kind you're thinking of, these romanticized, storybook, notions of marriage and love. It doesn't exist."

"I'm not naïve dad."

"You will date, and maybe marry, but then you'll grow tired of each other and you will cheat and fight and divorce. And no one's going to feel sorry for you or care for that matter because that's how it was always going to be. And when it's all over I will have been right all along."

"Touching really." Lex said dryly.

"It doesn't surprise me that you'd say that dad. Other fathers look out for their daughters. Love them, nurture them, make sure they find the right person who will continue that process throughout their lives but all you care about is being right no matter what the cost to me. You've never supported any of my decisions because they don't coincide with yours and I'm doing pretty well. I've basically raised my self since mum died and I think I turned out alright."

"Not without some major deal making on my end when you somehow became obliterated by your own careless acts."

"I'm not saying I'm perfect I'm just saying that you can't expect me to see things your way when you've never taken the time to see them mine."

"Paris you never needed a guide through life. You have been independent since you taught yourself to read at the age of four."

"That's not the point dad. I needed a father and you were more interested in what you wanted. I used to despise so called daddy's girls and it took me along time to realize that I didn't hate them but I was jealous of them because for once someone had something I never would. I've gotten used to that but it hurt like hell at the time."

"I'm leaving." Malcolm turned to leave. "You two do whatever you want."

"Oh dad." Paris called in a voice that Lex knew signaled trouble.

He stopped and turned to look at her. "Yes?"

"I think it goes without saying that I'm going to outlive you and someday you're not going to be here. But if she is I will make sure she is in no way taken care of or comfortable. In fact I plan on making sure she gets absolutely nothing. And I will devote every resource I have to making sure that happens."

Lex was shocked at her coldness, he knew Paris had a dark side, but she rarely if ever invoked it.

Malcolm just shook his head and left.

All that remained were them and Lionel. "Get out."

"Excuse me." Lionel said shocked at Paris' rudeness.

"I said get out. Get out of my house right now before I have you removed, or stab you myself. At this point jail is a welcome change from your presence in my life."

Lionel didn't say anything, he just left.

The room was completely silent. Lex looked over at Paris who was staring at the door, shaking. He walked over and gathered her in his arms, tucking her head under his chin while he held her. At first she was stiff and unresponsive but after a few seconds she leaned into him and let him hold her tighter as she grabbed the front of his shirt and sobbed letting out 23 years of frustration as she clung to him like a life raft. "It's okay. Let it out." He murmured comforting words in her ear and rubbed soothing circles on her back.

After half an hour she finally calmed down. He let her go and she looked up at him. "I ruined your shirt." She said with a sniffle.

"I have more." He gave her a reassuring smile.

She grabbed a Kleenex from her desk and wiped her nose. "Yeah but this one looked really good on you. And I like wearing it to bed."

"Maybe the dry cleaner can save it then." He said with a comforting smile.

"I love you."

"I love you too, and nothing in this world is ever going to change that no matter what they say."

"Thank you." She leaned in and kissed him.

"Come on let's get out of here."

"Good idea." As they turned to leave the pictures on her desk caught her eye. "Help me with these." She started to gather the pictures into a pile.

"Where do you want them?"

She looked around the room for a minute while she thought. "In the fireplace."

They walked over and threw all the pictures in the fireplace. "How are we going to light this?"

"Easy." She found a bottle of butane lighter fluid and doused the pictures, then lit a match and threw it in. The pile went up with a woosh. Paris and Lex watched as the evidence of their father's betrayal toward them burned.

Later the evening Paris and Lex were in her large Jacuzzi tub, with her laying in between his legs, and her head laying on his chest, and his arms wrapped around her.

"How are you?" He asked as he dropped a kiss on her shoulder.

"Numb." She answered as she blew a handful of bubbles across the tub. "How about you?"

"I'm still in shock."

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I really had no idea how I was going to let you know but this never even made the list. You know, screaming match and all."

"It's okay. I'm sorry you had to go through all that. Is that what you we're talking about a few weeks ago?"

"Yeah, like I said before I had all that stuff on my dad for years. But I just found that envelope with all that crap about your dad and my mom a few weeks ago. It freaked me the out. I'm sorry I talked around it with you instead of being straight forward."

"I understand you didn't know what the hell to do with it, truthfully I probably would have done what you did. Who sent it to you?"

"Perry White." She could feel Lex go completely rigid and still beneath her, and she could feel his jaw tick against her head. "Lex…" She used a 'not now' tone.

He cut her off. "That son of a bitch!"

Lex moved to climb out of the tub but Paris quickly turned around and grabbed his shoulder to sit him back down, he plopped back into the water. She quickly straddled his lap, and meshed her fingers with his. She looked him straight in the eyes as she spoke. "No. Lex I know what he did to you was wrong, and just randomly leaving those pictures in my possession with almost no explanation as to why was also wrong. And his actions when he was here were deplorable, but this gave us something. Our fathers now know that no matter what reservations they have about us, they can't say anything. They know we're not going to take it and nothing they can say or do to us will drive us apart ever again."

"Well yeah but he was still way out of line just laying that on you like that."

"I know, but it doesn't matter now. I have you and that's all I want, and if it took me having to learn a few hard truths to make sure that no one can ever drive us apart then that's fine." She dropped a kiss on his forehead, right between his eyebrows.

He sighed and dropped his head on her shoulder then took his arms and wrapped them around her waist, just reveling in her essence. "It was kinda fun to watch you bitch them out and just watch their expressions change to abject horror as you pulled out more and more evidence against them." He kissed her softly on the lips. "I'm not my father and I'm not like your father. I love you, and I will never, ever, cheat on you or leave you."

"I know." She kissed him back.

Lex swallowed hard, against his emotions. "Please say it." Then looked at her with those blue eyes, filled with so much sadness and fear.

"Lex you know…"

"I know I know. I just need to hear it."

She could kick herself. Her Lex, the beautiful loving man in front of her who would never deny her anything why was she so hesitant to assure him of something they both knew to be true. Her Lex who had been wounded and manipulated by those around him for so long that she was lucky he was so open and honest with her and willing to love her in a way that has proved to be his downfall so many times before. He was so strong and certain in so many ways and so vulnerable and unsure of himself in so many others. God she loved him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and locked eyes with him again. "I Paris Margaret Stratford, love you Alexander Joesph Luthor more than anything in the world and I will never cheat on you, leave you or hurt you in any way ever. You are the only one in this world that matters to me and nothing will ever change that or make me forget that."

"I don't want anyone to ever go through what we've had to go through for so long now."

"Yeah especially our kids." The words were out of Paris' mouth before she realized what she said.

A smile crossed Lex's features. "You've thought about kids with me? Let me rephrase that, you want kids?"

"Well not today, but eventually yes. Why, you don't want kids?"

"No, I. I've just never really thought about it. But the thought of you driving a mini van is kind of amusing."

Paris breathed a laugh. "Very funny, but I will be driving an SUV an expensive one. Didn't Porche just come out with one? Seriously though, do you want kids?"

"I guess. I just." Lex stopped.

"What?"

Lex took a second to compose his thoughts. "Let's just say I don't usually have relationships with women who stick around long enough to have this discussion."

"Yeah, you have more weddings than Elizabeth Taylor don't you?"

"Very funny. I've never had to think about having kids with anyone before. They either got bored and left or they tried to have me killed before it came up."

They shared a laugh.

"Well I've been around you a long, long time. If you haven't noticed. So I think it's safe to say that I am not the kind of woman who is going to get bored and leave you or try to have you killed five minutes after we say 'I do' so I think this subject may come up again in the future."

"Well for this conversation and all future one's that may center around this subject the answer is yes. I would love it if you and I had kids together."

"Good. I think we'd have good looking kids. As long as they get my hair."

"Oh that dry British wit is just coming screaming through today isn't it." Lex said as he poked her in the side.

"Hey." She laughed. "Stop."

"Stop what?" Lex asked as he continued to poke her, then moving on to a full tickle.

"L-Lex. Hey. Hahahaha." She continued to thrash about in the water around them. "Okay I surrender. I'm sorry about the hair remark."

"Good." He gave her a kiss on the forehead as she caught her breath. "So what are our kids like?"

"I don't know, people who have their kids names picked out and their personalities mapped out before conception kind of scare me."

"I agree."

"But I figured we'd start off with one and see how we like parenthood." She teased.

"You and I both know how hard it is to be an only. Can we have 2 at least?"

"I think we can negotiate that."

"So you won't mind getting all disproportioned, and moody, and have weird cravings twice."

"Aww you said disproportioned instead of fat. You do love me."

"Yeah that and your knee is centimeters from a very sensitive area."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Aww you're afraid of me, that's so cute."

"Cute huh." Lex joked.

"Very." She accentuated it with a poke at his ribs causing him to twitch.

"Let's see how cute I am now." With that he slid his hands under her thighs and flipped her backward into the water.

She came up sputtering water, and had bubbles all over her head. "You are so evil." She shoved a wave of water his way.

He coughed as he caught a mouthful of water and bubbles. "You got bubbles in my mouth." He went over to where she was sitting on the other side.

"You got bubbles in my hair." She pouted.

"You know what that means." He looked at her with a predatory look.

"That I now have to re-wash my hair."

"Yes, and that means it's shower time."

Her eyes lit up. "Ooh shower time. I love it."

"Let's go." He scooped her up and took her to the shower.

"I love shower time with Lex."

Feedback people, I need feedback! PLEEEEEEEASE.


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